Vietnamese meatball bún cha

Forget spaghetti and meatballs and try our bún cha - the famous caramelised pork meatballs from the streets of Hanoi. This is an easy recipe that’s fresh and full of flavour.

Serves: 4

Time to make: 35 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

3 medium carrots
500g lean pork mince
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriandercilantroX, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped, plus extra, sliced, to garnish (optional)
4 teaspoons fish sauce
150g rice vermicelli noodles
spray olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugarlight brown cane sugarX
3 cups mixed salad leaves
1 medium Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
250g cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

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1 Cut 2 of the carrots into thin matchsticks and set aside. Into a large bowl, finely grate the remaining carrot. Add pork, coriander, 2 teaspoons of the ginger, half of the chilli and 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce. Combine well. Using clean hands, roll tablespoons of the mixture into 20 meatballs.

2 In a large heatproof bowl, place noodles, cover with boiling water and set aside to soak for 5 minutes, or until softened. Refresh under running cold water. Drain.

3 Spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and set over a medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning, for 8 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

4 Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and remaining ginger and chilli, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add sauce to meatballs and toss to coat. Simmer for 30 seconds.

5 Divide noodles, carrot sticks, salad leaves, cucumber and tomatoes among 4 bowls. Top each with 5 meatballs and drizzle with sauce. Serve garnished with extra coriander and sliced chilli, if using.

Variations

Make it gluten free: Check fish sauce is gluten free.

HFG tip

NOTE: If you have a nut allergy and are using packaged goods in recipes, please check the allergen warning on the packet regarding nuts.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 413 cal

Kilojoules 1730 kJ

Protein 30 g

Total fat 13 g

Saturated fat 4 g

Carbohydrates 40 g

Sugar 11 g

Dietary fibre 4 g

Sodium 620 mg

Calcium 100 mg

Iron 3.5 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.