Experience the flavours of Vietnam with these juicy little pork meatballs served with fresh pickles and salad over soft rice noodles. It's a perfect combination of meaty, sweet, salt and soft rice noodles. A healthy way to enjoy any mealtime.
6cupscooked vermicelli rice noodles(1½ cups per person)
4spring onion(thinly sliced)
1cupcherry tomatoes(halved - or slices of tomato for each bowl)
mint(small bunch)
cilantro(small bunch)
Instructions
To make the Bun Cha
Using your hands mix together the pork, shallots, lemongrass, chilli, cilantro, pepper, salt, ginger and garlic. Roll a small ball, a little smaller than a ping-pong ball. Repeat with all the pork mix, then refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
To make the pickles
Add the boiling water to a bowl then add the sugar and salt and whisk to dissolve. Add the vinegar and whisk again to combine. Pop in the fridge to cool completely.
Meanwhile, julienne the carrot and daikon and slice the cabbage. When the vinegar mix is cooled, combine with the vegetables and return to the fridge.
To make the Nuoc Mam Dam (dressing)
Add the sugar to a bowl along with the boiling water, fish sauce and vinegar. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and set aside to cool completely.
To make the salad bowl
Cook the fresh or dried vermicelli rice noodles to the packet instructions and drain with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside until needed.
Add the oil to a frying pan over a moderate heat. Arrange the pork balls in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side until browned all over and cooked through.
In a large bowl, arrange the rice noodles, then top with a few bun cha.Squeeze the pickles to drain the excess liquid then arrange next to the bun cha.Add some sping onion, tomato, mint and cilantro and serve alongside a small bowl (about ½ cup per person) of the Nuoc Mam Dam dressing to pour over just before eating.