Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Rice Noodles (Bún Chả) — Hanoi-Style Charcoal Pork and Vermicelli

• 500 gground pork shoulder
• 350 gpork belly (sliced 3 mm thick)
• 3shallots (finely minced)
• 4 clovegarlic (finely minced)
• 1lemongrass (tender inner stalk finely minced)
• 60 mlfish sauce
• 35 ggranulated sugar
• 1 tbsphoney
• 1 tspblack pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 tbspneutral oil
• 1 tbspcaramel sauce (Vietnamese nuoc mau, optional but traditional for color)
• 400 grice vermicelli noodles
• 500 mlwarm water
• 90 mlfresh lime juice
• 30 mlrice vinegar
• 1Thai bird chile (thinly sliced)
• 150 ggreen papaya (peeled and thinly sliced)
• 1carrot (thinly sliced)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1 headromaine lettuce (leaves separated)
• 1 bunchVietnamese mint
• 1 bunchThai basil
• 1 bunchcilantro
• 20perilla leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, honey, black pepper, neutral oil, and caramel sauce in a large bowl. Divide this marinade between the ground pork and the sliced pork belly, mixing the ground pork firmly until slightly sticky and coating the belly slices evenly.

2. 2

   Cover both bowls and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours for deeper flavor. Before grilling, shape the ground pork into 16 small patties about 6 cm wide and 1 cm thick so they cook quickly and stay juicy.

3. 3

   Prepare the pickles by tossing the green papaya and carrot with the salt for 10 minutes, then rinse and drain well. Mix them with the sugar and rice vinegar, then let them sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the noodles and dipping broth.

4. 4

   Cook the rice vermicelli in boiling water according to the package timing, usually 4 to 6 minutes. Drain, rinse under cool water until the noodles are no longer sticky, and set them in a colander to drain thoroughly.

5. 5

   Make the dipping broth by stirring the warm water, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and rice vinegar until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the sliced garlic and chile, then taste for balance: it should be salty, sweet, sour, and light enough to drink from the bowl.

6. 6

   Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high, or heat a ridged grill pan until very hot. Grill the pork patties and pork belly slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until lightly charred, cooked through, and glossy at the edges.

7. 7

   Warm the dipping broth gently in a saucepan until just hot but not boiling. Divide it among 4 serving bowls, then add a portion of grilled pork and a spoonful of the papaya-carrot pickles to each bowl.

8. 8

   Serve the noodles on a separate platter with lettuce, Vietnamese mint, Thai basil, cilantro, and perilla leaves. Each diner should dip noodles and herbs into the warm pork-filled broth, building bites with smoky pork, fresh greens, and the sweet-sour sauce.