Hue-Style Spicy Lemongrass Beef and Pork Noodle Soup

What you need

• 1 kg (2 lb) beef bones, marrow or knuckle bones
• 600 g (1 1/4 lb) beef shank
• 500 g (1 lb) pork hock, skin on
• 6 stalks lemongrass, 4 bruised for the broth, 2 for the chili oil
• 1 large onion, halved
• 5 cm (2 in) ginger, unpeeled
• 150 g (5 oz) pineapple, cut into chunks
• 25 g (1 oz) rock sugar
• 1 tbsp salt, plus more to taste
• 3 tbsp fine shrimp paste, mam ruoc
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp annatto seeds
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chili flakes
• 400 g (14 oz) dried round rice noodles
• 150 g (5 oz) Vietnamese pork roll, thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 150 g (5 oz) cabbage, finely shredded
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) bean sprouts
• 1 handful Thai basil
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Put the bones, beef shank and pork hock in a large stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 min, then drain and rinse everything. Scrub the pot clean.

2. 2

   Char the onion halves and ginger in a dry pan over high heat until blackened in spots, 8-10 min. Smack the ginger with the flat of a knife.

3. 3

   Return the bones, shank and hock to the clean pot with 4 l water, the onion, ginger, 4 bruised lemongrass stalks, pineapple, rock sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then lower to a bare simmer.

4. 4

   Simmer uncovered, skimming now and then, until the shank and hock are tender when pierced with a skewer, 1 hr 30 min-2 hr. Lift them out and drop them in cold water for 5 min so they firm up, then drain.

5. 5

   Keep the broth simmering for 30 min more, then lift out the bones and strain the broth.

6. 6

   Whisk the shrimp paste into 250 ml water in a small pan and simmer for 5 min. Leave it for 15 min, then pour only the clear liquid into the broth and discard the sediment.

7. 7

   Finely chop the white parts of the 2 remaining lemongrass stalks. Warm the oil with the annatto seeds over low heat for 2 min, until the oil turns deep red, then scoop out the seeds.

8. 8

   Add the shallots, garlic and chopped lemongrass to the red oil and fry until fragrant, 2-3 min. Stir in the chili flakes for 20 seconds and take the pan off the heat.

9. 9

   Stir most of the chili oil into the broth, keeping a few spoonfuls for serving. Add the fish sauce and simmer for 10 min. Taste and add salt if needed.

10. 10

    Cook the noodles in boiling water as the package directs, then rinse under cold water and drain.

11. 11

    Slice the beef shank thinly, cut the pork hock into bite-size pieces and slice the pork roll.

12. 12

    Divide the noodles among 6 bowls and arrange the beef, hock and pork roll on top. Ladle over the boiling-hot broth.

13. 13

    Top with the red onion, scallions and cilantro. Serve with the cabbage, bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges and the remaining chili oil.

Imported from fifteen.net. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.