Bun Cha | Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Pork Patties Kit

What You Get

Rice noodles

Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce)

Daikon

Carrots

Scallions

Cilantro

Mint

Ground pork (see note below)

What You'll Need

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Vegetable oil or cooking oil of your choice

Soy sauce, tamari, or fish sauce

Step 1

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Set the noodles by the stove, but don’t add them yet. (They cook quickly.)

Step 2

Cut the daikon into planks and then into thin strips, similar to matchsticks (you should have about 2 cups). Peel the carrots and repeat the same cutting method. Alternatively, shred the carrots on the coarse side of a box grater, or simply cut into thin slices.

Step 3

Add the daikon and shredded carrots to a mixing bowl and toss with ½ of the nuoc cham. Set aside to quick-pickle, stirring occasionally to blend flavors.

Step 4

Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender, 3 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water until cool and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Step 5

Wash all herbs. Slice about ⅓ cup of scallions. Reserve ⅓ of the cilantro for sprigs to garnish. Chop a good handful of the cilantro, including some of the stems (you should have about ⅓ cup chopped). Pick the mint leaves from the stems and reserve. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped cilantro, scallions, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (tamari or fish sauce if using in place of fish sauce). Season with a few grinds of pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix together and shape into 8 patties.

Step 6

In a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the pork patties and cook until golden brown and no longer pink at the center, about 3 minutes per side.

Step 7

Divide the noodles between bowls. Top with the pork patties, mint leaves, cilantro sprigs, and the pickled carrots and daikon. Serve warm, with the remaining nuoc cham for drizzling or dipping.