Bún Chả

Pork

• minced pork400 g
• pork belly300 g
• shallots3
• garlic cloves4
• fish sauce3 tbsp
• brown sugar2 tbsp
• black pepper1 tsp

Dipping broth

• fish sauce80 ml
• rice vinegar60 ml
• sugar60 g
• water350 ml
• garlic cloves2
• bird’s eye chillies1
• carrots½
• limes1

To serve

• rice vermicelli300 g
• lettuce1 head
• mint1 handful
• coriander1 handful
• Thai basil1 handful

Pork

1. 01

   Finely chop the shallots and crush the garlic. Mix the minced pork with half the shallots, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar and black pepper, and shape into small flat patties.

2. 02

   Slice the pork belly thinly and marinate it in the fridge in the remaining shallots, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar and black pepper for 30 minutes.

3. 03

   Grill both over high heat, preferably coals, until well charred at the edges — 3 to 4 minutes a side — and cooked through with no pink inside. The char is not incidental; the broth is built to meet it.

Dipping broth

4. 04

   Warm the water in a small pan and dissolve the sugar in it, then add the fish sauce, vinegar and the juice of the lime.

5. 05

   Thinly slice the garlic, bird’s eye chilli and carrot, add them to the broth and leave for 10 minutes. It should taste sweet, sour and salty in roughly equal measure, and lighter than you expect — this is a broth to dip in, not a dressing.

To serve

6. 06

   Cook the rice vermicelli according to the packet, rinse it under cold water and drain well.

7. 07

   Divide the warm broth between four bowls and drop the hot grilled minced pork patties and pork belly straight in.

8. 08

   Serve with the cold rice vermicelli, lettuce, mint, coriander and Thai basil alongside. Each person dips noodles and herbs into the bowl a little at a time.