What Foods Would You Like to Make?

Spoiler: I picked one that involves pork, smoke, and a minor identity crisis in my kitchen.

Let’s talk cravings. Not the “midnight snack” kind, but the kind that hit you like a food flashback—sunlight in your eyes, motorbike fumes in your nose, and a tiny plastic stool digging into your spine. I’m talking about Hanoi. More specifically, bún chả.

This wasn’t just a meal—it was a culinary slap to the face. A mess of smoky grilled pork patties swimming in a sweet-savory broth, flanked by cold vermicelli, mountains of herbs, and the eternal question: how do you eat this without looking like a total amateur?

Spoiler: you don’t. You just dive in and make peace with the mess.

Ever since that glorious chaos of my first real bún chả moment in Hanoi (shout-out to the auntie who side-eyed my herb ratio), I’ve wanted to remake it. Not a sanitized, “weeknight dinner” version either—I want the real deal. Char on the pork. Nuoc cham that punches. That ridiculous balance of fresh, grilled, and fermented that makes you question why you ever called lettuce a salad.

My two go-to places, for “that taste” : Bún chả CỘI phố cổ: Hanoi and Old Viet’s Restaurant

So yeah, if you’re asking what foods I’d like to make—bún chả tops the list. But not just for the flavor. For the memory, the mess and petty revenge on every bland noodle bowl I’ve eaten since coming home.

How to Make Bún Chả, Hanoi Style (a.k.a. Controlled Chaos in a Bowl)

This dish has a few moving parts, but don’t panic—it’s more assembly line than MasterChef meltdown. Here’s the breakdown:

🥩 The Pork (a.k.a. The Main Event)

You need two types of pork for proper bún chả:

1. 200g pork belly or shoulder, thinly sliced (for grilling)
2. 300g minced pork, shaped into patties

Marinade for 500g total meat (serves 2 hungry humans or 3 reasonable ones):

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp palm or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced shallots
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice
• Optional: 1 tsp caramel sauce or honey (for that perfect char)

Marinate both the sliced pork and the minced pork patties with this mix—just keep them in separate bowls. Let it sit at least 1 hour or overnight if you’re chasing that street food depth..

Grill it over charcoal if you’re a purist. Otherwise, a stovetop grill pan or even a cast iron will work—just don’t steam the meat. You want smoke, color, and a little stick.

🍜 The Noodles

Use thin rice vermicelli (bún)—boil, rinse with cold water, and drain well. This isn’t ramen. No soggy noodles allowed.

🌿 The Herb Jungle

Load up with fresh:

• Thai basil
• Perilla (if you can find it)
• Mint
• Cilantro (unless you’re one of those people)
• Lettuce, shredded
• Pickled green papaya or carrots (optional but worth it)

🥣 The Nước Chấm Sauce Bath

This is the dip and the broth. It’s warm, sweet-savory, and everything clings to it.

Base sauce:

• 5 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 200ml warm water
• 3 tbsp lime juice or rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bird’s eye chili, chopped (or less, unless you want to cry)

Serve warm, not cold. This isn’t a salad—it’s a noodle spa.

Now It’s Your Turn—Make it

You don’t need to book a flight to Hanoi (though… tempting). Grab the fish sauce, fire up the pan, and recreate this glorious mess at home. Will it look like the Instagram photos? Doubtful. Will it taste like Vietnamese sunshine and porky redemption? Absolutely.

And when your kitchen smells like grilled joy and fish sauce dreams—send me pics. Or just tell me how many herbs you forgot. I’ll be here, rebuilding mine again next weekend because bún chả isn’t just a dish. It’s a craving that bites back.