VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD (BUN CHA)

VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD (BUN CHA) image

Categories Pork

Number Of Ingredients 27

RECIPES
VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD (BUN CHA)
POSTED MAY 30, 2013
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Vietnamese Pork Meatball and Noodle Salad (Bun Cha)
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Helen Rosner
In Lauren Shockey's culinary memoir Four Kitchens(Grand Central Publishing, 2011), in which this recipe appears, the author writes: "After pho, bun cha is one of Hanoi's most famous dishes and is a delicious summertime lunch or light dinner. In Hanoi, you'll know you're at a bun cha stand by the smoke wafting from the charcoal grills. Living in New York City, I don't have the luxury of cooking pork on a charcoal grill, but my stove's broiler works just fine."
SERVES 4
For the Pork Meatballs
2 tbsp. sugar
5 tbsp. water
1 lb. ground pork
1 large shallot, minced as small as possible
3 tbsp. fish sauce
1â4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce and Serving
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 1â2 cups water
1â2 tsp. minced or grated garlic
1 red thai chile, minced
2 tbsp. green papaya, cut into 1â4"-thick slices (optional)
1 lb. thin rice noodles
1â2 head red leaf lettuce, torn into small pieces
2 cups loosely packed selection of Asian herbs, such as cilantro, perilla, mint, sawtooth coriander, ngo herb, shiso, or Thai basil

Steps:

For the meatballs: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water and cook over high heat until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons cold water, swirling the pot. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, shallot, fish sauce, caramel sauce, and pepper, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 1â2 hours. For the sauce: Combine fish sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, water, garlic, chile and green papaya in a large mixing bowl. Set aside to marry the flavors To assemble: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Drain, then rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Shape marinated pork into small patties, about 15 to 20 in all. Heat a charcoal grill or a broiler to high. Grill or broil the pork patties until fully cooked and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Spoon the sauce into four bowls, then place the pork patties over the sauce. Place the herbs and lettuce in one large communal bowl and the noodles into another large communal bowl. To eat, dip some of the noodles into the sauce and eat with the patties and herbs.