Char Grilled Pork Paddies With Vietnamese Herbs Bun Cha Food

BAKED PORK BUN (CHAR SIU BAO)

Steps:

• For the marinade: Mix the chicken base, soy sauce, sugar, food coloring, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cut pork in half horizontally to make two long, flat thin pieces (for better flavor penetration). Put the pork in a stainproof container or resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Marinate 20 minutes in the fridge.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top. Remove pork from the marinade and place on rack. Roast, about 45 minutes. Let pork rest for 10 minutes, then dice.
• For the dough: Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, butter, yeast, egg and 1/2 cup warm water in a mixing bowl and blend for 10 minutes. Let sit for 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut twelve 3-inch pieces of wax paper and set aside.
• Roll dough by hand into a cylinder with a 1 1/4-inch diameter. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a 3-inch pancake.
• Add some pork to the center of a pancake, then fold the edges of the dough over the pork and bring together. Repeat with remaining pancakes and pork, placing completed buns on squares of wax paper.
• Place completed filled buns on waxed paper and brush tops with mayonnaise and condensed milk. Bake, about 15 minutes.

CHAR GRILLED PORK PADDIES WITH VIETNAMESE HERBS: BUN CHA

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the spring onions, garlic chives, shallots, garlic, black pepper, fish sauce and soy sauce.
• In separate bowl, combine half the marinade, minced pork, and egg and mix well.
• Add the sliced pork belly to the remaining marinade. Cover and marinate both meats in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or overnight for a better result.
• Form the pork mixture into small round balls with oiled hands, then slightly press down on each ball to form patties, about 2 inches/5 cm in diameter and 1/2-inch/ 1 cm thick.
• Heat a charcoal grill or barbecue to medium-high and grill the patties for 4 minutes on each side. Grill the pork belly for 2 minutes on each side or until brown.
• Place the noodles, herbs and patties on three separate platters.
• Transfer to 4 to 6 dipping bowls.
• For the dipping sauce: Add fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and water to a saucepan. Mix, then bring to the boil. Transfer to a dipping bowl and add chile, garlic and lime juice.

CHAR GRILLED PORK NECK WITH VERMICELLI NOODLES: BUN THIT NUONG

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, honey, and pepper. Mix until the sugar has dissolved. Add the bashed spring onion, garlic, and sliced pork neck.
• Coat the pork well then enclose the flavors with the vegetable oil. Let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight, for a better result.
• Preheat a grill on medium to high heat. Thread the pork onto the skewers and char grill on medium to high heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until brown and cooked through.
• Divide the cooked vermicelli noodle among 4 to 6 bowls, add the mint, perilla leaves, Vietnamese mint, cucumber, and bean sprouts, then add 1 to 2 pork skewers to each bowl.
• Dress each bowl with 2 tablespoons of dipping fish sauce, a teaspoon of spring onion oil, and sprinkle fried Asian shallots and crushed peanuts on top.
• Combine the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water in a saucepan and place on medium heat. Stir well and cook until just before boiling point is reached, then allow to cool. To serve, finely chop the garlic and chile and stir through with the lime juice.

KOMBUCHA-CHA-CHA

Steps:

• Pour the kombucha and rum into a rocks glass filled with ice. Stir gently to combine. Serve garnished with a lime wedge.

BUN CHA

Steps:

• For the grilled pork patties and pork belly: Turn on a kitchen exhaust fan or open a nearby window. Things are about to get smoky! Combine the sugar and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Cook until the sugar mixture darkens to a deep, dark brown hue similar to soy sauce and the mixture is smoking, 5 to 7 minutes; swirl the pan as needed to ensure even cooking.
• Immediately turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the hot stovetop. Carefully add 2 tablespoons of water to the saucepan (the mixture may sputter). Use a heat-safe rubber spatula to stir the caramel until completely smooth. Transfer the caramel to a medium heat-safe bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
• Meanwhile, put the ground pork and the pork belly into 2 separate medium bowls.
• Stir the fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, bouillon and black pepper into the caramel until well combined. Add 6 tablespoons of the sauce to the ground pork then add the remaining sauce to the pork belly. Use your hands to mix each meat with the sauce until well combined. Refrigerate each for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. (Do not refrigerate overnight or the meat will get too salty.)
• Scoop the marinated ground pork into 18 portions (about a scant 1/4 cup each), placing each on a large baking sheet. Roll each portion into a ball then flatten into a 1/2-inch-thick patty about 2 inches wide.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Preheat an outdoor grill or a large 2-burner cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the grill grates or grill pan with oil. Working in batches if needed, cook the pork patties until charred and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side, rotating the meat as needed to ensure even cooking. Transfer the cooked patties to a clean baking sheet.
• Reduce the heat slightly (between medium and medium-high). Working in batches if needed, cook the pork belly until charred and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side, rotating the meat as needed to ensure even cooking. Place the cooked pork belly to the same baking sheet as the pork patties and place in the oven to keep warm while you make the dipping sauce.
• For the dipping sauce: Combine the sugar and 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot and starts to steam, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add 1/2 cup cold water, the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, carrot, green papaya and chiles. Stir to combine.
• For serving: Divide the vermicelli among 6 individual serving bowls. Place the lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro and mint on a platter.
• Divide the pork patties and pork belly between 6 medium serving bowls or plates. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm sauce over the meat in each bowl. Serve each diner a bowl of pork and a small bowl of noodles. Pass the platter of vegetables and herbs. To eat, dip the noodles, herbs and vegetables into the warm sauce. Alternatively, you can hand tear the lettuce and herbs and add them to the sauce along with the other vegetables before dipping in the noodles, or enjoy the dish anyway you like.

BUN CHA - GRILLED VIETNAMESE PORK SKEWERED RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the honey, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, garlic, spring onions, oyster sauce, salt and pepper, mixing well.
• Add the pork, coating the slices well. Cover and marinate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, start the barbecue fire. Soak the bamboo skewers.
• When ready to eat, thread the meat strips on the skewers.
• Don't be tempted to overload the skewers; skewers which are too generous will char on the outside by the time the inside is cooked.
• Grill over medium-hot coals for 3 to 4 minutes, brushing the meat with the marinate.
• When browned and cooked, remove from the fire and serve.