Crispy Vermicelli Cake with Bún Chả Meatballs

Method

1. Bring plenty of water to the boil in a 20 cm pot on high heat, add the noodles and cook for 4 min, 1 minute less than the packet says because they cook again in the pan. Rinse in cold water, leave to drain in a sieve for 10 minutes, then press firmly with kitchen paper to dry them as much as possible. Toss evenly with the cornflour. Any leftover water makes the oil spit badly and stops them crisping.

   Add in this stepDried rice vermicelli (bún) 100 gCornflour (cornstarch) 2 tsp

   high heat

2. Finely chop the shallots and half the garlic and knead with the pork, fish sauce, sugar and pepper for 1 minute. Roll into 3 cm balls and flatten them slightly.

   Add in this stepMinced pork 200 gShallots 1Garlic cloves 1½Fish sauce (for the meatballs) 1 tbspSugar (for the meatballs) 2 tspGround black pepper ½ tsp

3. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, then stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, the rest of the garlic (chopped) and the sliced chillies. Shave the carrot into thin ribbons with a peeler and drop them into the sauce.

   Add in this stepWarm water (for the sauce) 120 mlSugar (for the sauce) 2 tbspFish sauce (for the sauce) 2 tbspFresh lime juice 2 tbspGarlic cloves 1½Bird's eye chillies 1Carrot 40 g

4. Heat most of the oil in a non-stick 24 cm pan on medium-high heat. When it shimmers and a single noodle sizzles immediately (about 180 °C), carefully add the noodles, laying them in away from you, and press them into an even 1.5 cm layer with a spatula. Fry without moving for 6 min, until the base is deep golden. Cover with a large plate, flip the pan over wearing oven gloves, then slide the cake back in and fry for 5 min more. Tilt the pan away from you as you flip so no oil runs towards you. Lift onto a rack.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2⅛ tbsp

   medium-high heat

5. Add the rest of the oil to the same pan and cook the meatballs on medium heat for 8 min, rolling them around, until caramelised brown all over, firm when pressed and no longer pink inside (71 °C in the centre).

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 0.9 tbsp

   medium heat

6. Cut the noodle cake into wedges like a pizza and top with the meatballs. Just before eating, spoon over the sauce with the carrot and scatter generously with mint, shredded perilla, spring onions and peanuts. Add the sauce a little at a time so the cake stays crisp longer.

   Add in this stepMint 6 gPerilla leaves (shiso) 6Spring onions 1Roasted peanuts, roughly chopped 20 g