BUN CHA

Smoky, succulent pork patties, rice noodles, fistfuls of herbs and a super-savoury dipping sauce: is this the perfect way to cook the perfect noodle dish …

INGREDIENTS Serves 4

For the Patties

400g pork mince – not too lean, ideally
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
1½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Salt
Oil, for greasing the griddle

For the pickles

200g carrot, radish, kohlrabi, green papaya
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
20g sugar
¼ teaspoon fine salt

For the dipping sauce

150ml fish sauce
150ml rice vinegar
100g sugar
Juice of 5 limes

To serve

300g rice vermicelli
1 small head of lettuce
1 generous handful mixed fresh herbs:
Thai basil, mint, coriander
4 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

METHOD

Put all the ingredients for the patties bar the oil in a large bowl, mix well, then use greased hands to tear off small pieces and roll into bite-sized meatballs. Slightly flatten each ball, then put in the fridge to chill and firm up for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the pickling vegetables into rounds or strands, then put in a bowl or jar.
Heat the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pan until the last are dissolved, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt, then tip over the vegetables, mix well and leave to sit, tossing occasionally, ideally for at least a couple of hours.

Put the fish sauce, rice vinegar and sugar for the dipping sauce in a saucepan with 600ml water, and heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, then drain, refresh and set aside.

Lightly grease a griddle pan and set it on a medium-high heat.

Grill the patties for about 10-12 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and well charred all over.

While they’re cooking, separate, wash and dry the lettuce, then arrange the leaves on a large plate. Put the picked, washed herb leaves and the sliced chilli and garlic alongside. Put the drained noodles in a separate dish and bring out the pickles and some extra vinegar.

Reheat the dipping sauce, if you want to serve it warm, then stir in the lime juice.

Divide the sauce between four bowls. Add a couple of the pork patties to each bowl and serve the rest alongside the pickles, noodles and salad plate.

Original Recipe Felicity Cloak writing in The Guardian