Hue beef noodle soup

90 min · serves 4

Fermented shrimp paste is what separates this from pho. Let it settle and use only the clear liquid.

Ingredients

• 500 g Beef shank
• 500 g Pork hock
• 500 g Pork bones
• 6 stalks Lemongrass
• 2 tbsp Fermented shrimp paste
• 2 tbsp Chilli powder
• 600 g Thick rice noodles
• 1 bulb Onion
• 3 tbsp Fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Rock sugar
• 100 g Spring onion and Vietnamese coriander

Method

1. Boil the pork bones and hock for 5 minutes, discard the water and rinse them clean.
2. Bruise 4 stalks of lemongrass. Add them to the pot with the bones, hock, shank, onion and 3 litres of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
3. Skim the foam for the first 15 minutes, then simmer for a total of 60 minutes.
4. Pull the shank out at about 45 minutes, once a chopstick goes through, cool it in cold water and slice thin.
5. Stir the shrimp paste into 200 ml water, let it settle for 5 minutes, pour the clear liquid into the pot and discard the sediment.
6. Mince the last 2 lemongrass stalks, fry them with 3 tbsp oil and the chilli powder for 2 minutes to draw out the colour, then add to the pot.
7. Season with fish sauce and rock sugar, taste and adjust the salt.
8. Blanch the noodles, top with the sliced shank and the hock, ladle over the hot broth and finish with chopped spring onion and Vietnamese coriander.

Hue beef noodle soup →