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Bún mọc
Vermicelli with pork balls
Bún mọc: Hanoi rice vermicelli in clear pork broth with springy pork and mushroom balls
Bún mọc is a Hanoi breakfast from the old Mọc village, now swallowed by the city: a clear, gently sweet pork broth poured over soft rice vermicelli, with bouncy balls of pounded pork and wood ear mushroom, slices of pork and a fistful of herbs. Locals eat it early at low plastic stools before work. The common mistake is mixing the pork paste with a spoon; it needs a hard beating so the balls turn springy instead of crumbly. Chef's tip: wet your hands and slap the paste against the bowl twenty times, and chill it for 15 minutes before shaping.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 ¾ lb pork bones
- 2.5 litres water
- 1 onionhalved and charred in a dry pan
- 7 oz daikoncut in chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
For the pork balls (mọc)
- 14 oz pork mincenot too lean
- ⅓ oz dried wood ear mushroomssoaked 20 minutes, finely chopped
- 1 shallotvery finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
To serve
- 10 ½ oz dried rice vermicelli
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 1 handful fresh corianderchopped
- 1 limein wedges
- 1 red chilli (optional)sliced
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Blanch 1 ¾ lb pork bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and rinse. Put them back in the pot with 2.5 litres water, 1 onion, 7 oz daikon and 1 tsp salt and simmer gently for 50 minutes, skimming, until the broth is clear and sweet.
55 minStep 2: While the broth simmers, mix 14 oz pork mince, ⅓ oz dried wood ear mushrooms, 1 shallot, 1 tbsp fish sauce, ½ tsp ground black pepper and 1 tbsp tapioca starch. Beat it hard with your hand or a wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes until sticky and tacky, then chill for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Cook 10 ½ oz dried rice vermicelli in boiling water according to the packet, usually 4–5 minutes, until soft. Rinse in cold water, drain well and divide between bowls.
5 minStep 4: Strain the broth into a clean pan and season with 2 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
Step 5: With wet hands or two spoons, shape the pork paste into walnut-sized balls and drop them into the simmering broth. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until they float, feel firm and are no longer pink in the centre (160°F).
8 minStep 6: Ladle the hot broth and balls over the noodles, top with 3 spring onions and 1 handful fresh coriander, and serve with 1 lime and 1 red chilli.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bún mọc take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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