A very simple broth but one that retains all the drama and intensity of a classic noodle bowl.
The dish originates from northern Vietnam but is made all over the country.
Serves 6-8
dried thick rice noodles 1 x 400g pack
For the broth
chicken breast fillets 500g
pork ribs 300g
chicken carcass and bones 1kg
onions 2, peeled
daikon 1, peeled and halved
salt 1 tsp
fish sauce 1 tsp
rock sugar 30g, crushed
For the toppings
dried shiitake mushrooms 8
dried shrimp 5 tbsp
raw king prawns 16, deveined and peeled
vegetable oil 3 tbsp
minced pork 250g
salt 1 tsp
granulated sugar 3 tsp
fish sauce 1 tsp
crushed black peppercorns 1 tsp
turmeric ½ tsp
spring onions 5, finely chopped
eggs 6, beaten
cha lua Vietnamese ham 400g, cut into fine matchsticks
To serve (optional)
spring onions 100g, finely chopped
coriander 100g, finely chopped
Vietnamese mint 100g, finely chopped (or normal mint)
white onions 100g, cut into fine matchsticks
crispy fried shallots (see below)
lime wedges
bird’s eye chillies 100g, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Crispy fried shallots (makes enough for 8 servings but will keep for a month)
vegetable oil 1 litre
Asian shallots 1kg, peeled and very finely chopped
To make the crispy fried shallots, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. An easy way to tell when the oil is ready is to place a wooden chopstick into it – when bubbles form on the surface of the oil it is ready.
Add the shallots and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. If making a large amount, repeat this process until all of the shallots are cooked, then leave them on the paper towels overnight. Allowing the shallots to air-dry will help to preserve them. Transfer to an airtight container.
To make the broth, bring 6 litres of water to the boil in a stockpot over a high heat. Add the chicken, pork ribs, carcass and bones along with the onions and daikon. Skim the impurities from the surface of the water, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Take out the chicken breasts and leave on a chopping board until cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken and set aside in the fridge.
Season the broth with salt, fish sauce and rock sugar, then continue to cook for a further 45 minutes. Remove the carcass, bones, daikon and onions, then simmer for a further 15 minutes.
To prepare the toppings, soak the shiitake mushrooms in a bowl of hot water for an hour. Drain and pat dry with paper towels, then slice very thinly. Set aside.
Soak the shrimp in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes, then drain. Blitz in a food processor to a fine floss and set aside.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the prawns. Blanch for 2-3 minutes, drain and set aside.
Wash the pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and set over a medium heat. Add the pork, salt, sugar, fish sauce, peppercorns, turmeric and spring onions. Mix well and fry for 8-10 minutes.
Heat a little of the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a third of the beaten eggs, tilting the pan to form a thin layer of egg and fry until cooked. Remove and repeat with the remaining eggs to make 3 thin omelettes. Very finely slice and set aside.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the pack instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop them from cooking further.
To serve, add a handful of noodles to the bottom of each serving bowl. Place a small portion of each topping, including the ham, over the noodles and add 1 tsp of the shrimp to each bowl.
Bring the broth back up to the boil and then ladle into the bowls.
On a side plate for each bowl add a wedge of lime, a few extra slices of chillies and some more shrimp paste, to add to taste.
From The Little Viet Kitchen by Thuy Diem Pham (Bloomsbury Absolute, £22)