Bun cha

 Bun cha - Angie Hong

Ingredients

250 g(9 oz) pork belly, skin on

250 g(9 oz) pork neck

500 g(1 lb 2 oz) pork neck, coarsely minced (ground)

4French shallots, chopped

1 tspsalt

2 tspsugar

small pinch of Chinese five spice

2 tbspfish sauce

1 tbspoyster sauce

1 tspkecap manis

6young spring onions (scallions), green tops only, finely sliced

freshly ground pepper (a mixture of black and white if you have)

½green papaya, peeled and cut into thirds lengthwise, seeds removed (you can also use kohlrabi)

1carrot, quartered lengthwise

1 tbspraw sugar

2 tspvinegar

 

Nuoc nam dipping sauce

125 ml(4 fl oz/½ cup) white vinegar

250 ml(8½ fl oz/1 cup) hot water

110 g(4 oz/½ cup) sugar

125 ml(4 fl oz/½ cup) fish sauce

freshly ground pepper

To serve

selection of chopped herbs: sawtooth coriander (cilantro), garlic chives, rice paddy herb, hot mint, coriander (cilantro), fish mint, lovage, Vietnamese mint, chillies, Thai basil, perilla

cooked rice vermicelli

lettuce leaves

finely chopped garlic

red chilli paste or fine

Instructions

Marinating time 1 hour or overnight

Slice the pork belly and pork neck into 5 mm (¼ in) thick slices

Combine these in a bowl and have the mince in a separate bowl.

Pound the shallots in a mortar and pestle with salt and sugar to a coarse paste. Add the Chinese five spice, fish sauce, oyster sauce and kecap manis and mix well. Distribute between the meat and add the spring onions to the minced pork. Mix well. Season both bowls of meat with pepper and marinate for at least 1 hour, though overnight is even better.

Slap handfuls of minced pork against the edge of the bowl several times – this helps to bind it together. Form the pork into round patties (about 2 tablespoons each) and flatten slightly.

Slice the papaya and carrot finely widthwise. Sprinkle with raw sugar and set aside while you cook the meat. Add the vinegar before serving.

Place patties and pork belly/neck in separate oiled grill baskets and cook over charcoal, turning once you have some colour on one side. Keep turning until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides.

To make the dipping sauce, combine the vinegar, hot water, sugar and fish sauce in a small saucepan. Season with pepper and mix well. Place the sauce over low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep it warm while you cook the meat.

To serve, pour the warm dipping sauce over the grilled meat and patties.

Serve with papaya and carrot, herbs, rice vermicelli, lettuce, garlic and chilli paste or chopped chillies.