If you break down Bún chả you simply have to get the meat patties right and the dipping sauce. The pickled carrots and kohlrabi/unripe papaya are essential as well, but easy to make.

Side pickle

First make the side pickle:
100g carrot, 1/2 tsp salt
100g kohlrabi (or unripe papaya), 1/2 tsp salt.

Mix above ingredients and let the salt draw out the moisture of the vegetables. Drain and wash the vegetables thoroughly.

Mix with 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp vinegar and 4 tbsp water. Chill for a couple of hours.

Below the different elements you will need the assemble this dish:

Chả

Chả are meat patties and these are made from 100 percent pork. I asked my butcher to mince some pork shoulder. Mix the meat with the following ingredients:

1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp minced shallot
2 tbsp caramel sauce called Nước Màu (see below).
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Barbecue the meat patties.

How to make Nước Màu: dissolve 1/2 cup sugar (100g) on low heat. When caramelised add 1/2 cup hot water and mix until the sauce is a clear liquid.

The dipping sauce

To make the dipping sauce you mix 300ml water, 2,5 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2/3 tbsp vinegar or lime juice. All according to taste. The dipping sauce is served warm, not hot or cold.

To serve you add the barbecued pork patties to a bowl, add some of the pickled vegetables and pour over the dipping sauce. Add minced garlic and sliced fresh chili. Serve the noodles on a separate dish and dip the noodles in the dipping sauce.

Below two photographs I made in Hanoi and it should look like this.

I also marinated and barbecued some sliced pork belly. You can serve this as well.