Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Bún bò Huế)

Step 1

Add pork bones and beef shank to a large pot with enough water to completely cover the meat. Add a handful of salt and bring to a boil.

Step 2

Once boiling, turn of heat, drain and rinse meat well.

Step 3

Return all the meat to a clean pot with about 11 cups of water. Add a shallot and half of the lemongrass (just the tough, green stops of the stalks) and bring to a boil

Step 4

As soon as the broth boils, turn the heat to low and continue to simmer for 2-3 hours

Step 5

When the pork bones are soft but not falling off the bone (1-2 hours), remove them.

Step 6

When the beef is tender, remove it and cool. (2-3 hours)

Step 7

Return the pork bones to the broth and add all of the bun bo hue bouillon. Bring the broth back to a boil.

Step 8

While broth is heating, chop the rest of the lemongrass and the other scalltion finely. You can use a food processor.

Step 9

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a small pan. When the oil is hot, add the lemongrass and fry until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Step 10

Add the scallion to the lemongrass oil and fry for an additional 2 minutes.

Step 11

Pour the lemongrass and shallot oil into the broth.

Step 12

Return the pan to the heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat 1 tablespoon of chile flakes until fragrant and red. Be careful not to burn the chile flakes, or they will be bitter.

Step 13

Ladle a spoonful of broth into the hot chile oil. Pour the broth back into the pot slowly leaving the seeds from the peppers behind.

Step 14

Taste the broth and season with extra fish sauce and salt if necessary

Step 15

Boil and drain vermicelli noodles according to package instructions

Step 16

Slice the cooled beef thinly

Step 17

Wash the Vietnamese coriander and remove the leaves from the tough stems.

Step 18

Chop half of the Vietnamese coriander finely. Leave the other halves of the leaves whole

Step 19

Wash and chop the cilantro and scallions finely

Step 20

Remove the rough outer leaves of the banana blossom.

Step 21

Slice banana blossom thinly into a large bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lime juice

Step 22

Cut a lime into quarters

Step 23

Drain banana blossoms and add some to the bottom of a large bowl

Step 24

Layer vermicelli noodles and sliced beef. Top with chopped herbs and scallions

Step 25

Ladle boiling soup over noodles and top with a few pieces of pork feet

Step 26

Serve with lime quarters, whole Vietnamese coriander leaves and extra banana blossom