Name: Bún chả
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Vietnames
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground pork ($4.49); 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped ($0.24); 1/4 cup chopped shallot ($0.68); 4 Tbsp minced lemongrass ($0.60); 2 Tbsp honey ($0.24); 1 Tbsp fish sauce ($0.23); 1 tsp salt ($0.05); 1/4 tsp pepper ($0.02); 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08); 1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes) ($1.20); 3/4 cup water ($0.00); 3 Tbsp fish sauce ($0.68); 1 Thai red chili pepper ($0.10); 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08); 2 Tbsp sugar ($0.02); 1 carrot, thinly sliced ($0.16); 8 oz. rice vermicelli noodles ($2.99); 1 head butter lettuce ($1.59); 1 handful fresh mint ($2.19); 1 carrot, sliced ($0.16); 1/2 cucumber, sliced ($0.50)

Bún chả

Bún chả (Vietnamese Meatballs) are simple, light, fresh, and perfect for a hot summer day or as a make-ahead meal.

1 hr 45 min total 30 min prep 15 min cook 4 531 cal

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1 Chop the garlic and shallots, and mince the lemongrass.
2 In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pork, fish sauce, salt, pepper, honey, lemongrass, shallots, and garlic. Set the mixture aside for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.
3 Shape the mixture into small meatballs (about 20 meatballs), and then gently flatten them a bit.
4 In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and add the meatballs in a single layer. Cook the meatballs until they are golden and caramelized, around 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set the cooked meatballs aside.
5 Whisk the sauce ingredients together and adjust to your tastes. Optional: heat the water and whisk the sugar in to dissolve before adding the rest of the ingredients.
6 Prepare the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions (usually cook 2-3 minutes in a pot of boiling water).
7 Serve the noodles with the meatballs along with a handful of lettuce, mint, carrots, and cucumbers with the nuoc cham on the side.