Bun Cha – Vietnamese meatballs

By: Deborah Dean

MARINADE:
1/4 cup Squid Brand Fish Sauce
2 x spring onions, white part finely diced
5 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tbs Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbs white sugar
1 tsp white pepper
500g pork mince
500g pork belly slices
NUOC CHAM DRESSING:
1/2 cup Squid Fish Sauce
3 tbs Obento Rice Wine Vinegar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup water
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 thai chilli pepper, deseeded & finely diced
Cooking spray for grilling
100g Vermicelli noodles
Fresh ingredients to serve - lettuce, assorted herbs of choice, bean sprouts, spring onions, sliced chilli

Mix all marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
Place pork mince in one bowl and pork belly slices in another bowl. Pour 1/2 the marinade over mince and other half over pork belly. Mix through to coat pork belly and set aside.
Using your hands, mix marinade through mince thoughly until it is smooth and comes cleanly away from bowl. Form little meatballs the size of 50c piece (AUD) Set aside.
Combine all nuoc cham dressing ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Heat griddle pan and spray with cooking spray. Grill pork belly until charred & cooked. Transfer to serving platter. Boil kettle and place vermicelli noodles in a large bowl or container with boiling water.
Re-spray griddle with a little more oil. Place patties on grill, press a little to flatten slightly. Cook 4 mins per side until nicely charred and cooked through. Transfer to serving platter.
Drain noodles and place in serving bowl with patties & pork belly slices. Pour a generous serving of dressing over pork and noodles. Add lettuce, assorted herbs, beansprouts, shredded carrots, spring onions and sliced chilli.
Serve immediately. Eat with a little of everything covered in nuoc cham dressing for the perfect bite.