Charred Hanoi Pork Patties and Belly with Noodles

What you need

• 400 g (14 oz) pork belly, skinless, sliced 3-5 mm thick
• 400 g (14 oz) minced pork, not too lean
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 4 for the pork, 2 for the sauce
• 7 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp for the pork, 4 tbsp for the sauce
• 6 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp for the pork, 3 tbsp for the sauce, 1 tbsp for the pickles
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 carrot
• 150 g (5 oz) green papaya, or more carrot
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• 1 red chili, thinly sliced
• 400 g (14 oz) dried rice vermicelli
• 1 butter lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 bunch mixed herbs, mint, perilla and coriander

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Mix the shallots, 4 of the garlic cloves, 3 tbsp of the fish sauce, 2 tbsp of the sugar, the black pepper and the oil in a bowl.

2. 2

   Put the pork belly and the minced pork in separate bowls and divide the marinade between them. Mix well, cover and chill for 1 hour.

3. 3

   Peel the carrot and green papaya and cut both into thin slices. Toss with the salt and leave for 15 min.

4. 4

   Squeeze the slices dry, then mix them with the rice vinegar and 1 tbsp of the sugar. Leave them to pickle while the pork marinates.

5. 5

   For the dipping sauce, stir the remaining 3 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsp fish sauce into 400 ml warm water until dissolved.

6. 6

   Add the lime juice, the remaining garlic and the red chili. It should taste sweet, sour and salty at once, and light enough to sip.

7. 7

   Cook the vermicelli in boiling water until just tender, 3-5 min or as the packet says. Drain, rinse under cold water and leave in loose nests.

8. 8

   Wash the lettuce and herbs, shake them dry and pile them on a plate.

9. 9

   Shape the minced pork into 12-16 small patties about 1 cm thick.

10. 10

    Heat a charcoal grill or a ridged grill pan until very hot.

11. 11

    Grill the patties until charred at the edges and cooked through, 3-4 min per side. Minced pork should reach 71 °C (160 °F) inside.

12. 12

    Grill the pork belly slices until caramelised and cooked through with no pink, 2-3 min per side.

13. 13

    Warm the dipping sauce slightly and divide it among four bowls. Add some of the pickled vegetables and the hot grilled pork to each.

14. 14

    Serve with the noodles, lettuce and herbs on the side, dipping a little of each into the bowl with every bite.

Imported from gourmettraveller.com.au. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.