Vietnam / Bread
Vietnamese Rice Noodle and Beef Soup (Bún bò Huế)
Bún bò Huế is a popular Vietnamese noodle soup that originated in the old imperial capital of Huế.
Ingredients
- Huế shrimp paste, Huế-style4 tbsp
- onion, small; finely chopped1
- vegetable oil
- fresh pigs feet, fresh; medium-sized; cut into 1 cm pieces; discard the feet themselves2
- lemongrass, cut into 5-inch pieces2 stalk
- beef shank with cartilage, with cartilage; sliced 2 mm thick and about 4 x 4 cm1 kg
- Nước mắm
- sugar
- red pigment powder, non-spicy; just for coloring
- chilli powder
- cilantro leaves, leaves; chopped1 bunch
- Italian parsley leaves, flat leaf; leaves; chopped1 bunch
- onion, medium; finely chopped1
- thin rice noodles, thin1 kg
- limes, cut into wedges
- fresh chilli peppers, fresh; sliced
- bean sprouts
- banana blossom, thinly sliced
- shrimp paste
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 13 steps
Add the shrimp paste to a large 2.5 L bowl, and gradually mix in cold water while vigorously stirring the paste. Keep adding water and stirring until you’ve almost reached the rim of the bowl. Don’t let it spill over. Let the paste mixture rest in the bowl for 1.5 hours to allow the mixture to settle.
Sauté the small onion in 3 tbsp oil until golden brown.
In a stockpot, combine the cooked onion and pig feet with 2 L water. Slowly bring it to the boil over medium heat.
Add lemongrass, then slowly and carefully pour in the shrimp paste mixture, making sure to only add the clear liquid and not the silt that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.
To the residual shrimp paste, add another litre of water and stir. Again, wait until the mixture has settled before adding it into the stockpot.
Simmer the stock for 20 minutes.
Add the beef and occasionally skim the broth to ensure you get a nice clear liquid. Cook for another 20 minutes, checking the beef to be sure it’s not overcooked.
Add fish sauce and sugar to taste to achieve a nice balance between salty and sweet.
While the broth is cooking, heat some oil in a pan and add the red pigment. Cook until the pigment is blended with the oil. Add to the stock. Repeat the process with the chilli powder.
Combine chopped parsley and cilantro leaves with the uncooked medium onion.
If you are using fresh noodles, simply add boiling water to heat them up. If you’re using dried noodles, soak them in boiling water until they are soft then dip in cold water to stop the cooking process. Do not over cook them or you’ll have mush. Dried noodles have already been cooked.
In a large soup bowl, place a handful of noodles, top with a handful of the parsley/cilantro/onion mixture, and ladle on generous amounts of steaming hot broth, ensuring there are several pieces of beef and pork.
Serve hot with the condiments. You can add a squeeze of lime and chopped fresh chillies if you like your food extra spicy. It is also common to add a small dollop of shrimp paste to the soup, but those unfamiliar with the taste may not like it.
