Bun Cha (Vietnamese Pork with Noodles)

Ingredients

• beef bones — 1kg
• steak — 400g
• rice noodles — 400g
• star anise — 3
• cinnamon stick — 1
• ginger — 1 knob
• onion — 2
• bean sprouts — 200g
• thai basil — 1/2 bunch
• fish sauce — 2 tbsp

Method

1. Char onion and ginger under the grill until blackened in spots.
2. Simmer beef bones in a large pot of water, skimming scum, for 20 min.
3. Drain and rinse bones, return to a clean pot with fresh water.
4. Add charred onion, ginger, star anise and cinnamon.
5. Simmer gently, uncovered, 2-3 hours to build a clear, fragrant broth.
6. Season broth with fish sauce, strain out solids.
7. Soak rice noodles until soft, then blanch briefly in boiling water.
8. Slice raw steak paper-thin.
9. Divide noodles into bowls, top with raw beef.
10. Ladle over boiling hot broth — this cooks the beef.
11. Serve with bean sprouts, basil, lime and chilli on the side.

Ingredients

• pork belly — 600g
• fish sauce — 3 tbsp
• brown sugar — 3 tbsp
• eggs — 4
• garlic — 2 cloves
• rice — 2 cups

Method

1. Cook rice and boil eggs, peel.
2. Melt sugar in a pot until deep amber caramel.
3. Add pork and garlic, stir to coat.
4. Add fish sauce and enough water to cover, bring to a simmer.
5. Add boiled eggs, simmer uncovered 40 min until pork is tender and sauce has reduced.
6. Serve over rice.

Ingredients

• chicken thighs — 600g
• lemongrass — 2 stalks
• garlic — 2 cloves
• fish sauce — 2 tbsp
• rice — 2 cups

Method

1. Cook rice.
2. Finely chop lemongrass and garlic, rub over chicken with fish sauce.
3. Pan-fry chicken until charred and cooked through.
4. Slice, serve over rice.

Ingredients

• rice paper — 12 sheets
• prawns — 300g cooked
• rice vermicelli — 100g
• carrot — 1
• cucumber — 1
• mint — 1/2 bunch
• hoisin sauce — 1/2 cup

Method

1. Cook vermicelli, julienne carrot and cucumber.
2. Dip rice paper briefly in warm water to soften.
3. Layer prawns, noodles, veg and mint, roll tightly.
4. Serve with hoisin dipping sauce.