Bún bò Huế – Central Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup

Fiery and deeply aromatic beef noodle soup from Hue, Central Vietnam – richer and spicier than pho, with lemongrass, shrimp paste and pork.

• 1 kg beef bones
• 400 g beef brisket
• 400 g pork trotters
• 300 g round rice noodles
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• 3 tbsp shrimp paste
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp chilli oil or satay
• 1 onion, charred
• Banana blossom, bean sprouts and herbs for serving

Method

1. 1
   Blanch the bones and pork trotters. Rinse clean.
2. 2
   Simmer with fresh water, lemongrass, charred onion and shrimp paste for 3 hours.
3. 3
   Remove and slice the brisket. Season the broth with fish sauce.
4. 4
   Cook the round rice noodles.
5. 5
   Ladle the hot broth over the noodles with sliced brisket.
6. 6
   Top with chilli oil, banana blossom, bean sprouts and fresh herbs.