Bún Bò Huế: A Family Heritage
Huế is a city in central Vietnam. It holds a special place in my heart as it represents the family roots on my mom's side. Growing up, the traditions of Huế deeply influenced the cuisine I was exposed to. Every year, for my birthday, my mom would delight me with my most cherished Vietnamese dish: the bún bò Huế.
Unlike the typical Vietnamese noodle soups, where the broth is translucent, bún bò Huế stands out with its rich, spicy broth, choice of cuts of meat, thicker rice noodles, and an array of garnishing herbs.
Given it’s a time-consuming recipe, I would use a big pot to make enough bún bò huế for a week. I would plan two days to put this dish together. The first day or step is the longest and most important one: preparing the broth. I gather all the necessary ingredients and allow time for them to slow cook and infuse their aroma together.
There is a technique for preparing the broth based on my mom’s teachings. I define this method with layering.
First layer
I get all the natural bone sweetness from the pork neckline and oxtail through a boil. It’s essential to clean the excesses and leave the broth as clear as possible.
Second layer
Next, I add the “holy trinity” of onion, lemongrass and a pineapple to give perfume and extra natural sweetness. I use a hammer to smash the lemongrass and it’s honestly a liberating action.
Third layer
Then, I sprinkle some spices and other condiments: gia vị bún bò huế, paprika, chili flakes, fish sauce and shrimp paste. I carefully filter the shrimp paste through a mesh strainer.
The longest part of the recipe is more the time the broth needs to cook. I’d leave it simmer for a couple of hours and taste it for any necessary adjustments before wrapping up day one. Then comes day two of the recipe, which requires much less waiting. Yay! It’s about cooking the meats and finally making the dish look like a real good authentic bún bò huế.
Selecting and cooking the meats the right way does make a difference to the recipe and that’s exactly how my mom’s recipe is successful.
Beef Shank Sauté
My mom’s tip is to cut beef shanks into pieces of an inch thickness. Once the meat gets sautéed with onions and gia vị bún bò huế (spices), it becomes very tasty especially with a crispy texture on the outside while the inside is tender and juicy.
Giò Heo (pig feet)
Can it get juicier than this? Pig feet is a must in my books. It looks like an addition to the recipe as it’s just one piece in the bowl, but I’m telling you, it’s necessary. When the broth reaches its complex point, I soak the pig feet in to get all that flavour while it cooks. I then take it out and place it in my bowl on top of the beef shanks and noodles.
Bún (rice noodle)
Thick meat cuts call for thick rice noodles. Both simply pairs well together. Since the broth is rich in spices, it makes sense to use thick rice noodles so the flavour sticks to it. Slurp!
Garnishing herbs
Authentic taste is everything even for the garnish step. This is why it’s important to choose correct ingredients including herbs. Rau răm is a Vietnamese coriander and tastes somewhere between mint and parsley, at least to me.
Anything made out of love is magic. Love is the secret invisible ingredient. It also explains why my mom’s bún bò huế is the best on this planet, not to be biased. I feel grateful to be spoiled with her specialty dish on my birthday.
