You can't miss it if you have visited Hanoi where it was originated and remain very popular.
It is a dish of grilled pork and noodle, served with assorted herbs, dipping sauce and sometimes pickle.

This is one of "HRH"  favourite dish. He likes it so much that we had it for lunch and dinner for 2 straight days.
For the both of us, it is the best street food in Hanoi.

Each time I make this at home, we will reminisce the time in Hanoi where we had meals by the road side. Food served on make shift tables, and we sat on stools trying to blend in with the locals.

It is easy to like and fall in love with this pork meat patties since grilling delivers smokey, succulent, juicy patties.
Can't do without the sweet and sour dipping sauce and assorted fresh herbs, a refreshing and perfect accompaniment to the grilled meat.

On a leisure weekends, I have no problem getting "HRH" to fire up the BBQ grill with charcoals for his favourite patties.
On other "craving" days, I settled for the grill pans and broiler.


You will need:

500gm minced pork

2 cloves minced garlic

2 minced shallots

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/2 tablespoon soft light brown sugar or palm sugar

250gm rice noodles/vermicelli

Assorted herbs  (basil, mints, Vietnamese balm, cilantro)

2 Thai green lime (cut into four)

Dipping sauce/broth

800ml water

80ml sugar

80ml fish sauce

100ml fresh lime juice

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 fresh red chilli - minced (optional)

Methods:

Pork patties:

Marinated the minced pork with minced garlic, minced shallots, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Set aside in the fridge for at least an hour.

Prepare charcoal grill or broiler.

Shape minced meat into balls and placed it on charcoal grills or broiler. Grill until cooked and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes each side.

Dipping sauce/broth:

Combined all the ingredients in a sauce pan and gently boil till sugar dissolve. Turn off heat.

To serve:
Vietnamese way
All the ingredients in a large dish in the centre of the table.
Each guest will have their own warm bowl of dipping fish sauce where they take a mixture of noodles, meat patties, herbs, and dip into the sauce.


My way:

Place rice vermicelli in each serving bowl top with meat patties, assorted herbs, lime and pour dipping broth over.