Bún Chả (Vietnamese Meatballs)
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 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)
Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- 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)
Bowls
- 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)
Instructions
- 1
For the Meatballs - Chop the garlic and shallots, and mince the lemongrass.
- 2
For the Meatballs - 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
For the Meatballs - Shape the mixture into small meatballs (about 20 meatballs), and then gently flatten them a bit.
- 4
For the Meatballs - 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
For the Sauce - 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
For the Bowls - Prepare the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions (usually cook 2-3 minutes in a pot of boiling water).
- 7
For the Bowls - Serve the noodles with the meatballs along with a handful of lettuce, mint, carrots, and cucumbers with the nuoc cham on the side.
