**Bun Bo Hue: A Symphony of Flavors from Central Vietnam**
Bun Bo Hue is a Vietnamese noodle soup that originated in the former imperial city of Hue. It is considered one of the most iconic dishes of Central Vietnam and is known for its complex and flavorful broth, made with beef bones, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and a variety of spices. The dish is typically served with rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, and a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables. In this article, we will explore the history, ingredients, and preparation of Bun Bo Hue, and provide two delicious recipes for you to try at home:
* **Traditional Bun Bo Hue Recipe:** This recipe provides a detailed guide on how to make the authentic Bun Bo Hue broth from scratch, using beef bones, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and a variety of spices. It also includes instructions for preparing the rice noodles, thinly slicing the beef, and assembling the soup with fresh herbs and vegetables.
* **Vegetarian Bun Bo Hue Recipe:** This recipe offers a plant-based alternative to the traditional Bun Bo Hue, made with a flavorful broth of shiitake mushrooms, lemongrass, and spices. It includes instructions for preparing the vegetarian broth, cooking the rice noodles, and assembling the soup with tofu, vegetables, and fresh herbs.
Whether you are a seasoned cook or a beginner, these recipes will guide you through the process of making this delicious and authentic Vietnamese noodle soup in the comfort of your own home.
VIETNAMESE SPICY BEEF NOODLE SOUP (BUN BO HUE)
Have you tried Central Vietnam's spicy beef noodle soup? If you love pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) and looking for a fiery version, you will like its spicy cousin.
Provided by Vicky Pham
Categories entree
Time 2h30m
Number Of Ingredients 32
Steps:
- Clean the bones and meat: To a large stockpot, add knuckles, boneless shanks and tendon. Add water to cover and bring the pot to a boil. When the pot reaches a rolling boil and impurities float to the top (about 5-7 minutes after boiling), turn off the heat. Place a colander in the sink and drain the contents of the pot into the colander. Thoroughly rinse bones/meat under cold running water and drain dry. Wrap up boneless pork shank into a tight bundle with twine for easier slicing later.
- Wash the used pot thoroughly and return it to the stove. Transfer parboiled bones/meat to the pot and fill with 5 quarts of water. Smash the lemongrass stalks and tie them with twine. Peel the shallots/onions and slice the ginger into thick coins. All all to the stockpot. Bring the pot to a boil then lower heat to cook on a low simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Occasionally skim the surface of the stock to keep it clear.
- After one hour of cooking, pork knuckles should be done first. Check the knuckles for doneness by piercing it with a chopstick. When chopstick pierces through easily without resistance, knuckles are done. Remove and set aside. After 1-½ hours, beef and pork shanks should be done too. Check for doneness by piercing them with a chopstick. If there is no resistance and water runs clear, shanks are done. Remove and set aside with the knuckles. Beef tendons will cook the longest (about 2 hours). Once done, transfer tendon, shanks, and knuckles to the refrigerator to cool. For quicker cooling, place them in an iced bath. Chilling will firm up the meat and make it easier for slicing. Once chilled, cut knuckles into bite-size pieces if they are too big, and thinly sliced the shanks and tendon. Set everything aside as meaty toppings.
- Remove all remaining solids (onions/shallots, ginger, lemongrass, and pineapple) from the stockpot. Season stock with chicken stock powder, fish sauce, sea salt, rock sugar, and fermented shrimp paste. Add a little at a time to your liking. For the fermented shrimp paste, it's best to whisk it together with a bit of stock water to prevent clumps then pour it into the stockpot.
- Sate sauce: In a small saucepan, heat up vegetable oil on medium-low heat. Add shallots and lemongrass. Pan fry for 10 seconds or until fragrant. Add garlic, your desired amount of chili peppers, and Bun Bo Hue seasoning packet next. Pan fry for 5 seconds then turn off the heat to prevent burning. If you can't find Bún Bò Huế seasoning powder, substitute with paprika or similar red pepper powder. Season with fish sauce and sugar. Add sate sauce to the stock. For those with children or anyone who can't handle spicy food, divide the stock before adding sate sauce, or simply add sate sauce to individual bowls instead.
- Cook the noodles for 20 minutes or until soft (disregard package instructions as I typically find that it's never long enough). Place a colander in the sink and drain noodles into the colander. Rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
- To assemble, place a handful of noodles into a bowl. Add desired amount of sliced boneless shanks, pork knuckles/hocks, sliced Vietnamese ham (Cha Lua/Gio Lua) and pork blood cubes (if using). Ladle in hot broth. Garnish with sliced green onions and cilantro. Serve with a platter of fresh vegetables and lime/lemon wedges. You can also serve with a small bowl of shrimp paste and sate sauce on the side for further individual customizations.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1424, Fat 65, SaturatedFat 20, Carbohydrate 148, Fiber 4, Sugar 10, Protein 70, Sodium 2446, Cholesterol 253
BúN Bò HUế - SPICY VIETNAMESE BEEF & PORK NOODLE SOUP
Steps:
- Clean the meat: Add all meat to a stock pot and enough water to submerge it, bring to a boil. Drain and rinse thoroughly under running water.
- Add the meat, broth, lemongrass and onions to the pot and fill with water almost to the brim. Bring to a boil then drop the heat to medium-high to maintain a low boil. Add the seasoning.
- Let it simmer and periodically check the meats for doneness and remove them as they finish cooking. The pork should be done after about an hour, the beef can vary between 2-3 hours.
- After all the meat has removed, let it cool, then slice it. Adjust seasoning and add water to the broth pot if necessary.
- Make the aromatics & coloring then add it to the pot.
- Boil noodles according to package instructions.
- Assemble your bowl, and serve with herbs and veg on a side platter.
- Sauté seeds in oil on medium heat until the seeds give up the bright red color, then remove the seeds.
- Add shallots and garlic, sauté until brown.
- Add all of this to the pot of broth for color.
- The easiest thing to do is just buy it already cooked and boil just to heat it up. If you use the raw type like we did for this recipe, cut into 1" cubes and boil for 30-45 minutes
- Prepare a bowl of about 2 cups of water, mixed with the juice of 1 lemon.
- Thinly slice the banana flower and add to the water mixture to sit for about 30 minutes.
- Avoid adding little fronds (that look like mini bananas), removing them as you encounter them. They taste bitter!
- Weigh out the dried Thai chiles, then soak in just enough warm water to cover the chiles for 20 minutes. Drain the water.
- Add all sate ingredients to a pan on medium heat and stir continuously to brown, cook, and slightly reduce the chile paste, about 30-40 minutes. If at any point it becomes too dry, you can add more oil, up to 50% of the amount we started with. Taste and reseason with sugar or salt as desired. See photo for how the final product should look.
- Let cool and transfer to a sealed jar stored in the fridge . You can add ~2 tbsp of the final product to the soup pot for a boost in flavor and color, or simply and let each person add to their bowl to make it as spicy as they'd like!
Nutrition Facts : Carbohydrate 61.37 g, Protein 89.95 g, Fat 73.1 g, SaturatedFat 20.9 g, TransFat 0.2 g, Cholesterol 330.02 mg, Sodium 4939.39 mg, Fiber 2.55 g, Sugar 7.32 g, Calories 1276.7 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving
VIETNAMESE HUE NOODLE SOUP - BUN BO HUE
My favorite Vietnamese restaurant, "Little Saigon", serves Bun Bo Hue as a weekend special, starting on Thursday night. Since I can't move in for the weekend, it is natural that I learn to prepare to make this delicious dish for myself. Now you, too, can enjoy it, without going far from your kitchen!
Provided by PalatablePastime
Categories Ham
Time 2h25m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring 2 1/2 quarts water to a boil; add ham hocks and lemongrass.
- Skim constantly for 10 minutes then cover the pan, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.
- Strain the broth, reserving ham hocks if you desire them.
- Add nuoc mam, sugar, salt and pepper, sirloin, and pork loin to the broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until meat is cooked and tender; remove meat.
- Thinly slice meats into small pieces.
- To serve, place a portion of noodles in serving bowl, top with some bean sprouts, pork, beef, and some ham hock (if using), and ladle the broth over; add herbs, chili sauce, chilies, and lime juice to taste.
Tips:
- Use the right noodles: Bun bo Hue traditionally uses thick, round rice noodles called bun bo Hue, but you can also use other types of rice noodles, such as pho noodles or vermicelli noodles.
- Make your own broth: The broth is the most important part of bun bo Hue, so it's worth taking the time to make your own. You can use beef bones, pork bones, or a combination of both.
- Use fresh herbs: Fresh herbs are essential for adding flavor and freshness to bun bo Hue. Be sure to use a variety of herbs, such as mint, basil, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander.
- Don't overcrowd the pot: When cooking the noodles, be sure to not overcrowd the pot. This will prevent the noodles from cooking evenly.
Conclusion:
Bun bo Hue is a delicious and flavorful soup that is perfect for a cold day. It's also a relatively easy soup to make, especially if you use a pre-made broth. With a little planning, you can have a delicious bowl of bun bo Hue on the table in no time.
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