Vietnamese Bun Cha with Marinated Pork
This flavorful Vietnamese dish is the cold noodle version of a salad — you get all the freshness of a salad, with crisp, seasonal vegetables, and all the toothy satisfaction of the rice noodles. To top it off, the sweet marinated pork pairs perfectly with the salty nuoc cham.
Servings
Produce
Cucumber
1 0.5 Whole
Carrot (Organic)
6 3 oz
Green Bell Pepper (Organic)
1 0.5 Whole
Jalapeno Pepper (Organic)
1 0.5 Whole
Lettuce mix
5 2.5 oz
Basil
0.5 0.25 oz
Protein & more
Rice vermicelli noodles
1 0.5 Package
Cashews
1 0.5 oz
Pork chops, boneless
1 0.5 lb
Pantry items
Olive oil
2 1 teaspoon
Sea salt
To Taste
Spice mix
Bun Cha Marinade
Tamari
3 1.5 tablespoon
Lime juice
1 0.5 tablespoon
Garlic
1 0.5 Clove
Olive oil
1 0.5 tablespoon
Nuoc cham (Red Dot)
Tamari
4 2 tablespoon
Rice vinegar
4 2 tablespoon
Lime juice
4 2 teaspoon
Minced Garlic
1 0.5 tablespoon
Brown sugar, dark
2 1 tablespoon
Prep ahead (optional)
a. Cut cucumber into ¼” coins. b. Use a vegetable peeler to cut carrot into ribbons. c. Trim root and seeds off bell pepper; slice thin strips. d. Leave lettuce whole or chop bite-sized. e. Cut jalapeno into ¼” coins or mince. f. Slice basil into ribbons.
Instructions
1
Cook rice noodles:
a. In large saucepan, add 8 cups water (4 cups for 2 person portion). Cover and bring to a boil.
b. When water boils, turn off heat and add thin rice noodles. Let stand, stirring occasionally. Soak until noodles are soft but not mushy, about 3-5 minutes.
c. Rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool in refrigerator.
2
While waiting for water to boil, marinate pork:
a. Slice pork chops into ½” thick strips.
b. Add pork strips and bun cha marinade to a glass casserole dish. Set aside to marinate.
3
Cook pork:
a. In medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil.
b. Add well-drained marinated pork to pan, watching for splatters. Stir-fry pork until caramelized and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
4
Assemble bun cha:
a. Divide mixed lettuces (leave whole or chop bite-sized) among serving bowls.
b. Top with cool rice noodles. If noodles have stuck together, rinse again with cold water and use fingers to separate.
c. Garnish rice noodles with cucumber (¼” coins), carrots (use peeler to cut ribbons), bell pepper (trim root & seeds, slice ¼” strips), and jalapeno, if using (very thinly slice).
5
Serve:
a. Pour nuoc cham (red dot) over ingredients in each bowl and top with pork.
b. Garnish with cashews (chopped) and basil (ribbons).
Chef's notes
If your family doesn't eat pork, this marinade would work well with either fish or chicken. For the vegetarians, try marinating tempeh or tofu and sautéing until golden.
All spice mixes and dressings made by Inner Chef from scratch with organic ingredients, local when possible.
This week’s local ingredients across all Inner Chef meal-kits come from:
Gundermann Acres,
Wharton County, TX
Wharton County, TX
Fagan Family Farm
Lone Star Herbs,
League City, TX
League City, TX
G&S Groves,
Mission, TX
Mission, TX
The Farm Patch,
Pleasanton, TX
Pleasanton, TX
Kitchen Pride,
Gonzales, TX
Gonzales, TX
Fruitful Hill Farm,
Bastrop, TX
Bastrop, TX
J&B Farms,
Hondo, TX
Hondo, TX
Martinez Farms,
Pleasanton, TX
Pleasanton, TX
J&D Farms
Village Farms,
Marfa, TX
Marfa, TX