Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
A bold and fiery noodle soup hailing from the imperial city of Hue, Vietnam. This dish features a deeply aromatic lemongrass-and-shrimp-paste broth loaded with tender sliced beef, pork, and thick round rice noodles — all crowned with fresh herbs, lime, and chili for a soul-warming bowl unlike any other.
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef marrow bones
- 600 g beef shank
- 600 g pork trotters (pig's feet)
- 3.5 l water
- 4 pcs lemongrass stalks
- 1 pcs yellow onion
- 40 g fresh ginger
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp mam ruoc (fermented shrimp paste)
- 1 tbsp dried lemongrass
- 5 clove garlic cloves
- 3 pcs shallots
- 3 tbsp annatto oil (dau dieu)
- 1.5 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) or Vietnamese chili powder
- 500 g dried round rice noodles (bun bo Hue)
- 300 g Vietnamese pork sausage (cha lua / bo vien)
- 150 g fresh bean sprouts
- 1 pcs banana blossom
- 1 bunch fresh Vietnamese mint (rau ram)
- 1 bunch fresh perilla leaves
- 4 pcs green onions
- 3 pcs fresh red chilies
- 3 pcs limes
- to taste hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Blanch the bones and meat: Place beef marrow bones, beef shank, and pork trotters in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes — you will see grey impurities rise. Drain, discard the blanching water, and rinse each piece thoroughly under cold running water. Clean the pot as well.
- Char the aromatics: Directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, char the halved onion and ginger slices until lightly blackened on the cut sides, about 3–4 minutes. This adds a deep, smoky sweetness to the broth. Set aside.
- Build the broth: Return the cleaned bones, beef shank, and pork trotters to the pot. Add 3.5 litres of fresh cold water, lemongrass pieces, charred onion, and charred ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim off any remaining foam during the first 15 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours.
- Remove the beef shank: After 1.5 hours, check the beef shank — it should be tender but still hold its shape. Remove it, let it cool slightly, then slice thinly across the grain. Set the slices aside. Continue simmering the bones and trotters for another 30–45 minutes for a richer broth. Remove pork trotters when fully tender and set aside.
- Make the spice paste: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the annatto oil. Add the minced shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the minced fresh lemongrass (inner stalks) and chili flakes and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until deeply fragrant and the oil turns a vibrant red-orange.
- Season the broth: Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids (keep trotters separately for serving). Stir in the dissolved and strained mam ruoc (fermented shrimp paste), fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Add the entire spice paste. Taste and adjust seasoning — the broth should be savory, aromatic, slightly spicy, and have a distinctive umami depth from the shrimp paste. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the noodles: Bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the pre-soaked bun bo Hue noodles according to package directions, typically 5–7 minutes, until just tender but still slightly chewy. Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to prevent sticking. Divide noodles among 6 deep serving bowls.
- Assemble the bowls: Over the noodles in each bowl, arrange a few slices of beef shank, a piece of pork trotter, and several rounds of pork sausage or meatballs. Ladle the hot, fragrant broth generously over the top, ensuring each bowl gets plenty of liquid. The piping-hot broth will warm everything through.
- Garnish and serve: Top each bowl with sliced green onions and fresh red chili rounds. Serve immediately with a large platter of accompaniments on the side: bean sprouts, shredded banana blossom, Vietnamese mint, perilla leaves, lime wedges, extra chili slices, and hoisin sauce for dipping. Guests customize their bowls at the table.