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Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowls (Bun Cha)

Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowls (Bun Cha) reads umami 7.4, funk & ferment 6.1 and salinity 6.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 1 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.4 · Funk & Ferment 6.1 · Salinity 6.0 · Sourness 6.0 · Sweetness 5.5 · Citrus 4.9 · Marine & Briny 4.8 · Herbaceous 3.7 · Allium 3.6 · Richness 3.5 · Heat 1.8 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Floral 1.3 · Fruity 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Smoke 0.9 · Nutty 0.8

What's in it (16)

Time & effort: about 1 hr 30 min (35 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 120.5 kcal, 5.1 g protein, 4.4 g fat, 14.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, 3 of the 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of the shallot, 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the black pepper, then mix with your hands just until combined — overworking makes the patties tough. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, to let the flavors set.
  2. While the pork marinates, toss the shredded carrot and daikon with the kosher salt in a medium bowl; let sit 5 minutes until they soften and release liquid, then squeeze handfuls dry over the sink. Return to the bowl, stir in the rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and set the pickle aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  3. Whisk together the remaining fish sauce, remaining garlic, the last tablespoon of sugar, the lime juice, sliced chiles, and 1/3 cup warm water in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves, then stir in half the pickled carrot and daikon (reserve the rest for topping); taste and add more lime juice or sugar until the sauce is bright, salty-sweet, and a little sharp.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice vermicelli 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender with no raw white core; drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water, tossing until fully cooled, then divide among four bowls.
  5. Divide the torn lettuce and fresh herbs over the noodles in each bowl.
  6. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high, about 450°F, and brush the grates with the vegetable oil, then shape the pork mixture into 10 to 12 patties, about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick, pressing a slight dimple into the center of each so they cook evenly.
  7. Grill the patties until well charred on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and grill until charred and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F, another 3 to 4 minutes.
  8. Top each bowl of noodles with 2 to 3 hot patties and spoon the dipping sauce, with its pickled carrot and daikon, generously over the top.
  9. Scatter the reserved pickle and any extra sliced chiles over the bowls and serve right away, with everyone squeezing extra lime and mixing the sauce through their bowl at the table.

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Keep reading: what umami, funk & ferment, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.