When mentioning Hanoi, people immediately think of the long-standing culinary tradition with delicious dishes such as Tràng Tiền ice cream, green sticky rice, bún thang, bún ốc, … and cannot forget the famous bún chả Hà Nội, renowned both domestically and internationally. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN to make this delicious grilled dish right away!
1. Bún chả Hà Nội
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Preparation
40 minutes
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Cooking
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Bún chả Hà Nội Serves 4 people
Fresh rice noodles 1 kg Pork belly 700 gr Ground pork 500 gr Carrot 1 piece Green papaya 1/2 fruit Assorted fresh herbs 500 gr (lettuce/perilla/mint/coriander/ Vietnamese balm) Chopped shallots 1 tablespoon Chopped garlic 1.5 tablespoons Chopped chili to taste Oyster sauce 2 tablespoons Honey 3 tablespoons Caramel sauce 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 1 cup (about 220ml) Vinegar 1/2 cup (about 100ml) Cooking oil to taste Common spices to taste (salt/sugar/ground pepper/seasoning/MSG)
Preparation tools
How to choose delicious green papaya
- You should choose large but still green papayas, which feel firm to the touch and are heavy in hand.
- Fresh and delicious papayas have stems that still have sap, as these papayas have few seeds, thick and abundant flesh. Preferably select duck-billed papayas that have just been harvested because the flesh will be crunchy and not soft.
- Avoid buying papayas on rainy days as it will affect the quality and sweetness of the papaya.
How to make Hanoi grilled pork vermicelli
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Preparation and marinating meat
For pork belly, to remove dirt and odors, scrub it clean with salt, then rinse with cold water and let it drain. Use a knife to cut the meat into thin, bite-sized pieces.
Marinate the meat with 1/2 tablespoon of minced shallots, 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of ground pepper, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce, then mix well and let the meat absorb the spices for at least about 30 minutes.
For the ground meat, add 1/2 tablespoon of minced shallots and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of ground pepper, 1.5 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce. Use your hands to mix well and marinate the meat for about 30 minutes to absorb the spices.
After about 30 minutes, take a sufficient amount of ground meat and roll it into balls.
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Prepare other ingredients
To clean off resin and dirt, peel the carrots and papayas when you buy them, then soak them in diluted salt water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water and let them drain.
Proceed to carve flowers from the carrots, then cut the carrots and papayas into thin slices and put them in a bowl. Add 1/3 tablespoon of salt into the bowl and mix well, marinate for about 15 minutes, then rinse the carrots and papayas with water.
Next, add 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 1/4 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, then mix well and marinate for another 15 minutes.
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Grilling Meat
Use a brush to spread a thin layer of cooking oil on the electric grill, then arrange the pork belly and meatballs on top. Proceed to grill the meat until it is golden brown on both sides, then transfer it to a bowl.
Note: If possible, you should grill the meat using a charcoal grill. This way, the meat will have a smoky flavor and be more authentic.
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Making Fish Sauce
Place a pot on the stove, add about 1 cup of fish sauce (approximately 200ml), about 1 cup of sugar (approximately 200gr), 1/2 cup of vinegar (approximately 100ml), and 2 cups of water. Cook over high heat until the ingredients are completely dissolved and the fish sauce begins to boil, then turn off the heat. Adjust the seasoning to suit your family’s taste!
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Final Product
Arrange grilled meat, vermicelli, and fresh vegetables on a plate. Place pickled carrots, papaya, and a little chopped chili in a bowl, then add the prepared fish sauce and stir well to complete.
With just a few simple steps, we have a fragrant and attractive Hanoi grilled pork vermicelli dish that is no less appealing than what you find at restaurants. When eating, you should dip a bit of grilled meat, vermicelli, and herbs into the fish sauce and enjoy. The meat has a rich flavor, fragrant with lemongrass and onion, and when eaten with sweet and sour fish sauce, fresh herbs, and pickles, it balances the taste, making you want to eat more and more. Quickly get into the kitchen and try making this dish!
Product Information:
- You can use a 2000W electric grill to make this dish. The grill surface is coated with a granite non-stick layer, making it safe and easy to clean after use. The temperature control knob is simply designed, making it easy to adjust.
- Currently, the price of electric grills ranges from 500,000 to 1,700,000 VND (price updated as of June 2022).
2. Hanoi Grilled Pork Vermicelli (recipe shared by a user)
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Hanoi Grilled Pork Noodles (recipe shared by users) Serves 3
Lean pork shoulder 250 gr Ground pork 250 gr Fresh noodles for serving 1 kg Carrot 1 piece Radish 1 piece Minced lemongrass 50 gr Chili 3 pieces Garlic 1 bulb Rock sugar 15 gr Lemon juice 1 teaspoon Fish sauce 4 tablespoons Boiled water 1 cup Honey 1.5 tablespoons Five-spice powder 1 teaspoon Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Sesame oil 2 teaspoons Oyster sauce 1.5 tablespoons Vinegar 6 tablespoons Accompanying vegetables a little Common spices a little (Sugar/ salt/ ground pepper)
Tools needed
How to choose fresh and crunchy radish
- Good quality radishes are those that are intact, with smooth skin, no scratches or bruises, especially without unusual black spots.
- You should choose radishes that are straight, elongated from the head to the tail, feel firm in hand, and are slightly hard when pressed; the skin should have a certain crispness.
- The part where the leaves attach firmly to the radish, the leaves are fresh green and still have root hairs around the radish are signs of freshness, ensuring good taste.
- Absolutely avoid buying radishes that are too large but feel light when picked up, have swollen, soft bodies, lost leaves, withered leaves, and a thick, large head.
How to make Hanoi Grilled Pork with Vermicelli (recipe shared by users)
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the pork shoulder and put it in the freezer of the refrigerator for about 1 hour, then take it out and slice it thinly.
Peel and wash the carrots and radishes, then slice them thinly or carve them into decorative shapes. After cutting, soak them in salted water to remove the strong smell. Then rinse with clean water and drain.
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Marinate the meat
Marinate the pork shoulder with the following seasonings: 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of five-spice powder, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Marinate for 15 – 20 minutes.
Next, marinate the ground meat with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of minced lemongrass, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of five-spice powder, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/2 tablespoon of honey. Marinate for 15 – 20 minutes.
Tip: Do not marinate grilled meat with fish sauce or salt, as marinating with salt and fish sauce will make the meat tough.
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Grill the meat
After marinating the meat to absorb the spices, place the meat on the grill and grill it. For minced meat, shape it into flat round pieces and then grill. I grilled on the broil setting for 20 minutes, then flipped the meat and grilled for another 20 minutes.
While grilling the meat, prepare the noodles and vegetables to serve with it.
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Prepare the dipping sauce and pickled vegetables
Boil 1 cup of clean water with 3 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let it cool and soak the cleaned and cut radish and carrot.
If you want the pickled vegetables to absorb quickly, marinate the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of vinegar, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Marinate for about 10 minutes.
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Prepare fish sauce
Add 15g of rock sugar or granulated sugar with 1 cup of boiling water, dissolve the sugar, then add 4 tablespoons of good fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon of lime juice. Mince garlic and chili and then add to the prepared fish sauce.
When serving, add pickled vegetables to the fish sauce to enjoy with grilled pork vermicelli.
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Final Product
After completing, you will have a delicious and attractive bowl of Hanoi grilled pork noodles. When eating, you will feel the fragrant grilled meat, perfectly seasoned. Eating it along with noodles, herbs, and dipping it in fish sauce is truly wonderful.
Product Information:
- You can use a 1850W, 50-liter oven to prepare this dish. With a 360-degree rotating skewer design, the product ensures the food is evenly cooked and delicious. It has a built-in light and a transparent glass door, making it easy for you to observe the food.
- Currently, the price range for ovens is approximately 500,000 – 39,000,000 VND (price updated in June 2022).
How to choose fresh and delicious pork
For whole cuts of pork (such as belly, shoulder meat, etc.):
- First, you need to pay attention to the color. The color of good pork is bright pink, not too red and not too pale. If the pork has a pale color, a greenish hue, and a foul smell, it is spoiled, and you should not choose this type of meat.
- Good pork is firm and has high elasticity. You can test it by pressing your finger into the meat; if it bounces back immediately, is not slimy, and does not release water or juices, then it is good.
For ground pork:
- You can buy pork to grind at home using a meat grinder or purchase pre-ground meat as mentioned in the article!
- For pre-ground pork, you should buy it from reputable stores or supermarkets.
- It is advisable to choose lean pork or shoulder meat that has both lean and fatty parts to help prevent your dish from being too dry or overly greasy.
How to choose delicious carrots
- You should choose carrots that are straight in shape, with smooth skin, bright orange color, feel firm, hard, and heavy in your hand, as these are the best carrots with high vitamin content.
- It is advisable to buy carrots with a small core, as the smaller the core, the sweeter the carrot.
- You should not choose carrots that have leaves or branches at the base, with a large, thick shoulder, as these are usually carrots with a large core, which are not sweet and have fewer nutrients.
- Avoid buying carrots that are misshapen, dark-colored, bruised, or have wilted leaves.
How to clean pork without odor
- To completely eliminate the odor of pork, before cooking, briefly immerse the piece of meat in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then remove it and rinse with cold water.
- Another useful tip is to add a little white wine to the water used for blanching the pork. Wine is highly effective in completely eliminating odors.
- Use lemon, vinegar, salt, or ginger to rub on the pork and let it sit for about 5 – 10 minutes, then rinse again with water.
Tips for successful execution
- If you want to use this dish for breakfast, you can marinate the meat and prepare the fish sauce the night before and place it in the fridge. When ready to use, just heat it up.
- If you don’t use all the fish sauce, you can store it in a sealed jar at room temperature (for same-day use) or in the fridge (for about 1 week).
