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Sweet, sour, spicy, crunchy and delicious, there's nothing more satisfying than digging into a platter of build-your-own bun cha lettuce wraps.

Recipe Rosa Matto | Photographs Brendan Homan | Styling Natalie Homan

Bun cha with sweet & sour eggplant relish and vegetable “noodles” serves 6-8

meatballs 500g minced pork 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 small clove garlic, minced 2 spring onion, very finely chopped 30ml fish sauce pinch cracked pepper 1 kaffir lime leaves, very finely shredded 2-3 drops sesame oil oil for frying

Combine all the ingredients except the frying oil and work together well. With wet hands, shape the pork mixture into small patties and fry in a little oil until golden on all sides.

sweet & sour eggplant relish 1 eggplant, cut into chunks, salted for 1 hour 2 tbsp oil, plus extra for frying 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 small garlic clove, finely minced 1 small chilli, chopped 1 stem curry leaves 50g brown sugar 60g tamarind puree salt 1 can chopped tomatoes or 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped juice 1 lime coriander leaves

Drain and dry the eggplant thoroughly. Heat the oil and cook the eggplant pieces until golden all over. Remove from the pan.

Add extra oil to the same pan and cook the onion until transparent but not coloured, add the garlic, chilli, curry leaves, sugar, tamarind and a pinch of salt. Pour in the tomato and continue to cook until it becomes a loose paste. Add the eggplant and stir to coat with the sauce. Adjust with lime juice and taste for seasoning. Top with coriander leaves.

dipping sauce 60ml fish sauce 200ml water 50g sugar 60ml lime juice 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 small chilli, chopped Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved.

to assemble 400g zucchini, shredded into “noodles” 2 carrots, peeled and shredded into “noodles” 1 bunch each coriander, mint, Thai basil and chives 1 butter lettuce, washed

Arrange meatballs, eggplant relish, vegetable noodles, herbs and lettuce leaves on a platter. Divide dipping sauce into small bowls.

To assemble, wrap a meatball in a lettuce leaf, add eggplant relish, noodles and herbs, and dip into sauce.

This recipe first appeared in the March 2022 issue of SALIFE magazine.

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