Bun Bo Hue (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) is an aromatic dish made with a rich beef broth, tender beef and pork, and a variety of herbs and vegetables, and served with round rice noodles, bean sprouts, coriander, Vietnamese mint, and a wedge of lime.
Category
Lunch
Servings
8
Prep time
1 hour
Cook time
6 hours
Bun Bo Hue (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) is an aromatic dish made with a rich beef broth, tender beef and pork, and a variety of herbs and vegetables, and served with round rice noodles, bean sprouts, coriander, Vietnamese mint, and a wedge of lime.
Ingredients
- 3 beef short ribs
- 2 kg (4.4 lbs) beef bones
- 1 pork knuckle
- 2 pigs' trotters
- 6 sticks lemongrass, cut into 5 cm (2-inch) pieces
- 1 piece ginger, thickly sliced
- 1 brown onion, peeled
- 5 shallots, peeled
- 180 ml (¾ cup) fish sauce
- 1 tbsp fermented shrimp paste
- 3 pieces rock sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 5 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 tbsp annatto seeds
- 2 tbsp ground chilli (use less if you prefer it milder)
- 1 head garlic, peeled and finely diced
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 sticks lemongrass, finely diced
- 1 packet Bun Bo Hue noodles (round rice noodles)
- 1 packet bean sprouts
- 1 bunch coriander
- 1 bunch Vietnamese mint (rau răm)
- 4 limes
Directions
Add the beef and pork bones to a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
- While the bones are simmering, heat the peanut oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the annatto seeds and ground chilli, stirring frequently for 7–8 minutes, until the oil turns a deep red. Strain the oil, discarding the seeds, and set aside.
- Drain and discard the water from the bones. Rinse the bones thoroughly, clean the pot, and add the bones back in. Cover with fresh water.
- Add the lemongrass sticks, ginger, whole onion, whole peeled shallots, fish sauce, fermented shrimp paste, rock sugar, salt, and chicken bouillon to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- In a separate pan, heat the reserved annatto oil over medium heat. Add the diced shallots, lemongrass, and garlic, sautéing for 4–5 minutes. Once fragrant, transfer this mixture to the pot with the bones and other aromatics.
- Simmer the broth for 6 hours. After 3 hours, remove the pork knuckle and beef ribs from the pot. These will be sliced and served with the noodles. If you prefer your meat with a bit more chew, remove it after 1.5 hours instead.
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions (they usually take 20–25 minutes). Once cooked, drain them well and rinse under cold water to prevent overcooking.
- When ready to serve, briefly blanch some noodles in boiling water to reheat them. Place the noodles in a large bowl, top with slices of the cooked meat, and ladle over the hot, spicy broth. Garnish with coriander, Vietnamese mint, bean sprouts, and a wedge of lime.
