SPICY VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP (Bún bò Huế)

SPICY VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP (Bún bò Huế)

 

Ingredients

***For the broth

-4 lbs pork feet

-2 lbs beef shank

-2 shallots divided

-6 stalks lemongrass divided

-5 tbsp oil divided

-1 tbsp chile flakes

-1 tbsp chile lemongrass sate

-2 boxes bun bo hue bouillon cubes

-11 cups water

-fish sauce, to taste

-salt, to taste

 

***Noodles and garnish

-2 packages large vermicelli noodles

-1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

-1 bunch scallion, finely chopped

-1 bunch Vietnamese coriander or rau răm, finely chopped

-1 banana blossom, sliced thinly

-2 limes, quartered

-chile lemongrass sate, to taste optional

 

Instructions

 

***Par boil the meat

-Add pork bones and beef shank to a large pot with enough water to completely cover the meat. Add a handful of salt and bring to a boil.

-Once boiling, turn of heat, drain and rinse meat well.

 

***Make the bone broth

-Return all the meat to a clean pot with about 11 cups of water. Add a shallot and half of the lemongrass (just the tough, green stops of the stalks) and bring to a boil

-As soon as the broth boils, turn the heat to low and continue to simmer for 2-3 hours

-When the pork bones are soft but not falling off the bone (1-2 hours), remove them.

-When the beef is tender, remove it and cool. (2-3 hours)

 

***Season the broth

-Return the pork bones to the broth and add all of the bun bo hue bouillon. Bring the broth back to a boil.

-While broth is heating, chop the rest of the lemongrass and the other scalltion finely. You can use a food processor.

-Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a small pan. When the oil is hot, add the lemongrass and fry until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

-Add the scallion to the lemongrass oil and fry for an additional 2 minutes.

-Pour the lemongrass and shallot oil into the broth.

-Return the pan to the heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat 1 tablespoon of chile flakes until fragrant and red. Be careful not to burn the chile flakes, or they will be bitter.

-Ladle a spoonful of broth into the hot chile oil. Pour the broth back into the pot slowly leaving the seeds from the peppers behind.

-Taste the broth and season with extra fish sauce and salt if necessary

 

***Prepare garnishes and noodles

-Boil and drain vermicelli noodles according to package instructions

-Slice the cooled beef thinly

-Wash the Vietnamese coriander and remove the leaves from the tough stems.

-Chop half of the Vietnamese coriander finely. Leave the other halves of the leaves whole

-Wash and chop the cilantro and scallions finely

-Remove the rough outer leaves of the banana blossom.

-Slice banana blossom thinly into a large bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lime juice

-Cut a lime into quarters

 

***Assemble a bowl of noodles

-Drain banana blossoms and add some to the bottom of a large bowl

-Layer vermicelli noodles and sliced beef. Top with chopped herbs and scallions

-Ladle boiling soup over noodles and top with a few pieces of pork feet

-Serve with lime quarters, whole Vietnamese coriander leaves and extra banana blossom