Bún Chả with Plant-Based Meat
By Sara MayerPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Noodles and Salad
8 ounces rice vermicelli 1 head Boston lettuce (8 ounces), leaves separated and torn into bite-size pieces1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin on bias1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, trimmed1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if largeSauce
½–1 small Thai chile, stemmed and minced3 tablespoons sugar, divided1 garlic clove, minced⅔ cup hot water 5 tablespoons soy sauce ¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)Patties
1 large shallot, minced12 ounces plant-based ground meat 2 teaspoons vegetable oilBefore You Begin
For the best results, make sure to shake all excess water from the noodles after rinsing them. For a less spicy sauce, use only half the Thai chile. To serve, place platters of noodles, salad, sauce, and pork patties on the table and allow diners to assemble components to their taste.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Off heat, add noodles and let sit until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well under cold water, spread on large plate, and let sit at room temperature to dry. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and mint on large platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Using mortar and pestle (or on cutting board using flat side of chef's knife), mash Thai chile, 1 tablespoon sugar, and garlic to fine paste. Transfer to medium bowl and add hot water and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in soy sauce and lime juice; set aside.
- Combine shallot and 2 tablespoons reserved sauce in medium bowl. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with shallot mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, divide meat mixture into 12 lightly packed balls, then flatten into ½-inch-thick patties. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Using spatula, transfer patties to skillet and cook until well browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip patties and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 2 minutes. Transfer patties to serving plate. Serve noodles, salad, sauce, and meat patties separately.
for the noodles and salad
for the sauce
for the patties
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Noodles and Salad
Sauce
Patties
Ingredients
Noodles and Salad
Sauce
Patties
Ingredients
Noodles and Salad
Sauce
Patties
Why This Recipe Works
Vietnamese bún chả is a vibrant amalgam of pork, crisp lettuce and cucumber, bright herbs, and rice vermicelli, all united by a potent sweet-sour-salty sauce known as nuoc cham. The traditional version features grilled pork patties shaped like squished meatballs. Here, we swap the grill for a nonstick skillet and press the patties into ½-inch-thick disks to give them even more flat, brownable surface area than the originals. Nuoc cham traditionally includes fish sauce; to make up for its absence here, we substitute similarly salty soy sauce. We use the sauce two ways: A couple tablespoons go into the meat mixture, and the rest goes on the side for drizzling over the salad, meat, and noodles according to individual preference.
Before You Begin
For the best results, make sure to shake all excess water from the noodles after rinsing them. For a less spicy sauce, use only half the Thai chile. To serve, place platters of noodles, salad, sauce, and pork patties on the table and allow diners to assemble components to their taste.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Off heat, add noodles and let sit until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well under cold water, spread on large plate, and let sit at room temperature to dry. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and mint on large platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Using mortar and pestle (or on cutting board using flat side of chef's knife), mash Thai chile, 1 tablespoon sugar, and garlic to fine paste. Transfer to medium bowl and add hot water and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in soy sauce and lime juice; set aside.
- Combine shallot and 2 tablespoons reserved sauce in medium bowl. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with shallot mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, divide meat mixture into 12 lightly packed balls, then flatten into ½-inch-thick patties. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Using spatula, transfer patties to skillet and cook until well browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip patties and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 2 minutes. Transfer patties to serving plate. Serve noodles, salad, sauce, and meat patties separately.
for the noodles and salad
for the sauce
for the patties
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