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Bún chả Lettuce Cups

Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Marinating 1 hr
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Grilled Pork & Meatballs

  • 450g (1 lb) ground pork
  • 1 large blade steak fat trimmed, sliced thin
  • 2 shallots halved
  • 2 scallions coarsely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • 1 red chile
  • 2 tsp demerara sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce

Sauce

  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp demerara sugar
  • 1 lime juiced

Bun Cha Lettuce Cups

  • 1 batch Grilled Pork and Meatballs see above
  • 1 batch Sauce see above
  • 4 bundles mung bean noodles
  • 1 head boston lettuce leaves removed, washed
  • 4-5 French radishes sliced thin
  • 2 carrots julienned
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-2 red chilies sliced thin
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro torn

Instructions
 

Grilled Pork & Meatballs

  • Place the ground pork and sliced blade steak in separate bowls and set aside.
  • Place the shallots, scallions, garlic, red chili, salt and sugar in a food processor. Blitz until the mixture resembles mulch. Pour in the fish sauce and blitz again until cohesive.
  • Divide the marinade between the two bowls. Toss to coat the sliced pork and cover tightly before transferring to the fridge. Using a clean hand, mix the marinade into the ground pork until cohesive. Cover tightly and transfer to the fridge. Leave the two bowls to sit for at least an hour.
  • Once the hour has passed, form the ground pork into small meatballs. Use a heaping tablespoon as a guide. Flatten the meatballs and transfer to a hot griddle. Grill roughly 3 minutes a side, then transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add the sliced pork to the griddle and cook for 1 minute a side or longer depending on how thick the pork is cut. Transfer the meat to the same bowl and keep warm until ready to serve.

Sauce

  • Place all the ingredients except the lime juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. 
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes before stirring in the lime juice. Pour the finished sauce over the Grilled Pork and Meatballs and serve immediately

To Assemble

  • Cook the mung bean noodles as directed on the package. Place the noodles, radish, carrot, garlic, red chilies and cilantro on a large plate. Place the lettuce leaves on another. Serve alongside the meat and encourage everyone to build their own cups to their specifications. Enjoy with a cold beer.