Bun Bo Hue is a famous traditional Vietnamese dish, especially popular in the central region of the country. With its robust and delicious broth, soft and chewy rice noodles, and fragrant beef, Bun Bo Hue has captivated diners everywhere.
Below is an authentic and mouth-watering recipe for Bun Bo Hue that you can easily prepare at home.
Ingredients:
To cook this delectable dish, gather the following ingredients:
Beef leg bones: 1 kg
Beef shank: 500g
Pork hock: 500g
Crab cakes: 200g
Pig’s blood: 200g
Lemongrass: 10 stalks (bruised and cut into sections)
Hue chili powder: 2 tablespoons
Shallots: 3 shallots (finely chopped)
Garlic: 3 cloves (finely chopped)
Ginger: 1 small knob
Fish sauce: 3 tablespoons
Salt, sugar, MSG, and cooking oil
Fresh rice noodles: 1 kg
Herb accompaniments: shredded water spinach, banana blossom, and herbs
Limes and chilies (to serve)
Instructions:
Bun Bo Hue
1. Prepare the broth
To ensure a clear and tasty broth, the beef bones and pork hock require proper preparation. Begin by thoroughly washing the bones and hock, then blanching them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes to remove any impurities. Rinse again under cold running water.
Place the bones and hock in a pot, adding enough water to cover them. Toss in a bruised knob of ginger and 5 bruised lemongrass stalks to infuse their aroma. Bring this to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface to clarify the broth. After about an hour, remove the pork hock and set it aside.
Continue simmering the bones for 3-4 hours to develop a richer, sweeter broth.
2. Prepare the beef shank
Rinse the beef shank and boil it in a pot of water with lemongrass, shallots, and ginger. Once the beef is just cooked, remove it from the pot, let it cool, and slice it thinly. These beef slices will be added to the bowl of noodles, enhancing the dish’s savory character.
3. Prepare the broth’s seasoning
While the broth simmers, craft the signature seasoning for Bun Bo Hue. Heat some cooking oil in a pan, adding the chopped shallots, garlic, and Hue chili powder. Keep stirring to prevent the chili from burning. Once fragrant, scoop this mixture into the broth, lending it the distinctive hue and flavor of Bun Bo Hue.
Season the broth with fish sauce, salt, sugar, and MSG to taste. For a bolder flavor, stir in some filtered shrimp paste from Hue.
4. Prepare the pig’s blood, crab cakes, and noodles
Boil the pig’s blood and crab cakes until cooked. Cut the blood curd into bite-sized pieces. Quickly blanch the fresh rice noodles in boiling water to clean and maintain their texture.
5. Finalize the dish
When the broth is ready, it’s time to assemble the bowls. Start by placing a portion of noodles in each bowl, then arranging the beef shank, pork hock, blood curd, and crab cakes on top. Generously ladle over the hot, aromatic broth and sprinkle with chopped scallions and sawtooth coriander to heighten the flavor.
Bun Bo Hue is customarily served with fresh herbs like shredded water spinach, banana blossom, and bean sprouts, with limes and chilies on the side for an extra punch of flavor.
The hallmark of authentic Bun Bo Hue lies not only in the distinctive fragrance of lemongrass and shrimp paste but also in the harmonious interplay of fresh, high-quality ingredients. This dish is a sublime symphony of tender beef, unctuous pork, and a robust broth—a true delight for the senses.
