Entree: Vietnam – Hue – Bánh Canh Nam Phổ (Thick Vietnamese tapioca-rice noodle soup from Hue with a clear savory pork and seafood broth)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

12 oz (340 g) fresh bánh canh noodles or thick tapioca-rice noodles (use one type; starch composition is unspecified) (estimated edible portion: 340 g)
1 lb (450 g) pork neck bones or pork spare ribs for broth (selected example: pork spare ribs) (estimated edible portion: 248 g)
8 oz (225 g) peeled, deveined medium shrimp
8 oz (225 g) cooked crab meat
1 medium yellow onion, halved (about 6 oz / 170 g)
3 shallots, peeled and halved (about 2 oz / 60 g)
8 cups (1.9 L) water
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
1 tsp (5 g) fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc), optional
1 tsp (5 g) white sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) annatto oil (selected option; alternatively, use 1 tsp (2 g) annatto seeds heated in oil)
4 scallions, thinly sliced, with white and green parts separated
1/4 cup (15 g) cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup (30 g) fried shallots, for garnish
1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
Lime wedges, for serving
Fresh chili, whole or sliced (optional), for serving

Instructions

1. Put the pork spare ribs, halved onion, halved shallots, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off foam and simmer uncovered for 1½–2 hours.
2. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot, discarding the solids. Return the broth to a simmer. Stir in the fish sauce, optional fermented shrimp paste, and sugar; taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
3. If using annatto seeds instead of ready-made annatto oil, heat them briefly in the vegetable oil until the oil turns orange-red, then remove the seeds. Stir the vegetable oil and annatto oil into the broth, reserving about half the annatto oil for serving.
4. Add the shrimp to the simmering broth and poach for 2–3 minutes, just until opaque. Remove and set aside. Gently warm the cooked crab meat in the broth for about 1 minute, then remove it to prevent overcooking.
5. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Cook the fresh bánh canh noodles according to the package directions, usually 2–4 minutes, until tender. Drain and divide among four bowls.
6. Arrange the shrimp and crab over the noodles. Ladle the hot broth into the bowls, distributing the annatto oil among them.
7. Garnish with the scallion greens, cilantro, fried shallots, and black pepper. Serve immediately with lime wedges and optional fresh chili.
8. For leftovers, refrigerate the broth and proteins separately for up to 3 days. The noodles are best freshly cooked; if refrigerated, reheat them gently in simmering broth.