Spicy Beef Noodle Soup Hue style ( Bun Bo Hue )
- Sunday, October 4, 2009, 12:52
- Vietnamese Recipes
- 53,183 views
- 7 comments
Bun Bo Hue is not difficult to make , but it isextremely difficult to make well
Spicy Beef Noodle Soup Hue style ( Bun Bo Hue )
Ingredients:
The broth:
1kg beef bone, cut into 8-10 cm
1,5kg boneless pork leg, from the upper butt portion, cut into 3-4 cm thick
6 stalks lemongrass,bruised, cut into 5-6 cm,
1 piece of ginger, unpeeled, cut in half lengthwise and lightly bruised with the flat side of a knife, lightly charred until they release their fragrant odors
1 onion, unpeeled, halved and charred until they release their fragrant odors
For noodle assembly:
500gr flank steak
2kg large size, round rice noodle
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Garnishes:
homemade hot chilli oil sauce(*)- recipe coming soon
200gr vietnamese herbs:Vietnamese Lemon Mint(kinh gioi), culantro (ngo gai), mint, basil…
500gr vietnamese greens: thinly sliced banana bud, splitted waterspinach,
500gr bean sprout
1 onion, thinly sliced
50gr green onion, finely chpped
4 Lime, cut into wedges
4 Red chilies, thinly sliced
For season:
Fish sauce,salt, sugar, MSG to taste
50gr Hue shrimp paste (mam ruoc Hue), dilute the shrimp paste in cup of cold water and set aside
greens and herbs
Method
The broth
In a large stockpot, bring 6 quarts water to a boil. Place bones, pork and flank steak in stock pot . Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 5 – 10 minutes drain and rinse pot and bones.
Discard the water in which the meat cooked. Return bones to pot,add 6 quarts water and bring to a boil. Skim surface of scum and fat.Stir bones at bottom from time to time.
Add 3 more quarts water, bring to a boil again and skim scum. Lower heat and let simmer.When the broth has been simmering for about 2 ½ -3 hours total.
Tie lemongrass in bunch, put it in stock with gingers, onions .Let infuse until the broth is fragrant, about 30 minutes.
Remove flank steak,pork( when they are tender). When broth is ready, discard bones. Strain broth through a colander lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth into a clean pot .
 Add sugar, MSG,shrimp paste solution, salt, chilli oil sauce (*)to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer (The broth will taste salty but will be balanced once the noodles and accompaniments are added.) .Meanwhile, Cut flank steak into thin slices.Get herbs,greens ready.
To serve, in another pot bring water to a boil Add rice noodles and drain immediately. Do not overcooks.
 Divide a portion of noodles in serving bowl. Top with beef and pork.Garnish with chopped green scallions,onion, culantro, mint,chilli and ladle the broth over.
Serve immediately with a dish of bean sprout, greens ,lemon wedges. Add in fish sauce, chilli oil if desired.
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7 Comments on “Spicy Beef Noodle Soup Hue style ( Bun Bo Hue )”
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I haven’t tested this recipe so I can’t really vouch for the taste. It is a promising recipe, though, because the broth did not call for addition of pineapple (!!!) or sugar or any such nonsense. However, I do have a bit of a problem with the suggested garnish plate.
The only herbs that are traditionally eaten with Bun Bo Hue is “rau ram” (Vietnamese cilantro) and common cilantro. Basil and “ngo gai” (sawtooth cilantro/culantro) are really for Pho. “Kinh gioi” (Vietnamese Balm), a totally Northern Vietnamese herb, is for Northern dishes such as Bun Rieu, Bun Oc, and Bun Cha Ha Noi. “Hue” is the old imperial city of Central Vietnam, therefore, no northern herbs allowed with Hue foods.
The devil, and the correct herb-food pairing, is in the detail. It may seem to be a minor detail but, as with many Viet dishes, the wrong herb gives the wrong taste.
To Chef Q
I think you have not eaten BUN BO HUE in Viet Nam. IN Viet Nam, they eat Rau Ram and also basil, rau muong che together with BUn Bo Hue. You will find it at most of retaurants overthere
I agree with Chef HT!
Ched HT rau muon is not allowed in the US and most restaurants use various rau to eat. the above listed is most commonly used hereÂ
To Chef Q,
Well, I’ve just spent a year in VN and all the restaurants serve Bun Bo Hue there with rau que (Thai Basil), bap chuoi (thinly slice banana blossom), rau muong che, and rau thom (mint). Rau ram is chopped and mixed with thinly sliced green onion and white onion sprinkled on top of the noodle.
Chef Q is right when talking about Bun Bo Hue served in Hue. Other herbs are served in Saigon. The broth is slightly differently prepared in 2 regions as well. I guess it depends on how you are used to it. I am used to Saigon style so when I had it in Hue, felt as if something missing.
I would think a truly “authentic” bun bo hue would be delicious without man-made chemicals like MSG.