Hue in Central Vietnam is not only famous for its historical monuments, which are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites but also for its food. Talking about Hue foods, have you ever tried Hue sweet soup, Hue wet cakes, especially Bun Bo Hue? In this blog, I will show you all the information about this delicious dish.
Getting to know
For those who used to travel to Vietnam and try Bun Bo Hue surely they cannot forget the absolute deliciousness of this widely-favorite Vietnamese cuisine. As figured from its name, this delicious food originated from Hue, an old citadel of Vietnam and also the hometown of several delicious cuisines. This Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup is believed to be one of the dishes of the royal family in the former days, so it has been carefully cooked with local spices to have a distinctive flavor.
Considering the soul of Hue, this is a must-try when visiting this ancient city. You can find the store which buys this on every corner, from a small alley to a wide road street. You will be amazed by a bowl of Bun Bo Hue with the full topping of sliced thin beef, pork knuckle, pork blood curd, crab balls, etc. The thick broth is the most special thing, which is simmering pork and beef bones seasoned with lemongrass, fish sauce, and shrimp sauce. Also, you can see the delicious red color from the added spicy chili oil.
Bun Bo Hue recipe
Nowadays, it is not compulsory to visit Hue to enjoy this cuisine as it has been so popular beyond the border of Vietnam. Ingredients can be found in almost every Asian store worldwide, and the recipe is available online, so you can even cook for yourself. However, to retain its characteristic flavor, here is a recipe to make Hue beef rice noodles the most delicious right at your home.
Ingredients
- Beef muscle: 500gr, beef tendon: 300gr
- Pork knuckle: 1 piece
- Pork or beef bones: 500gr
- Shrimp paste
- Spices: lemongrass, ginger, dried shallots, garlic, chili powder, seasoning powder, sugar, cashew oil.
- Rice noodles: 400gr
- Fresh vegetables: cilantro, coriander, parsley, fresh onions, sliced banana blossoms
- Also, you can add more silk rolls, meat rolls, crab rolls, pork blood curd.
Methods of cooking
Here is the detail on how to make a delicious Bun Bo Hue:
Step 1
- Clean lemongrass, ginger, and then smash.
- Roll the beef and pork, then use tight strings to prevent shrinking too much while cooking.
Step 2
- Boil all beef, pork, and bones, remove the foam to make the dish look nice, then take out.
- Cut the tendon into small pieces.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of Hue shrimp paste with ½ cup of water, then stir.
Step 3: Marinate the meat
- Marinate all meat with 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp shrimp sauce, 2 tbsp purple minced onion, 2 tbsp minced garlic, and 2 tbsp lemongrass.
Step 4: Stew meat and bones
- Put 3 lemongrasses and ginger at the bottom of the pressure cooker, add pork bones and pork meat in, and pour the sauce on the face of the meat. Tightly close the cover. When boil, reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Take the pork leg into a cold water bucket.
- Do the same with beef. Please note that the simmering time is 20 minutes.
Step 5: The broth
- Pour all the broth into a pot, and add 5 liters of water.
- 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and Hue shrimp sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
- For the attractive red color, you can heat 2 tablespoons of oil, 1.5 tablespoons minced lemongrass, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, then add 2-3 tablespoons of cashew oil. Now just pour this mixture into the broth pot.
This dish can be served with multiple types of fresh vegetables and Vietnamese herbs, such as bean sprouts, coriander, sliced banana blossoms, etc. Depending on your taste, you can add lemon and chili sauce to make it hot, sweet, and sour. All of those will make your mouth watering when thinking about Hue beef rice noodles.
Where to find Bun Bo in Hue
If having a chance to reach this charming city – which is known as the motherland of Bun Bo Hue, let’s try this wonderful dish at these restaurants:
Bun Bo Hue O Phuong
- Address: 24 Nguyen Khuyen Street, Hue City
- Price range: US$1.5
- Opening time: 9 am – 9 pm
Bun Bo Hue O Cuong – Chu Diep
- Address: 6 Tran Truc Nhan, Hue city
- Price range: US$1.3
- Opening time: 6:30 am – 11 am
Bun Bo Hue O Hoa
- Address: 162 Mai Thuc Loan, Hue City
- Price range: US$1.1
- Opening time: 5:30 am – 9 pm
Quan Cam
- Address: 45 Le Loi, Hue city
- Price range: US$1.7
- Opening time: 6 am – 10 am
Bun Bo Hue Ba Tuyet
- Address: 47 Nguyen Cong Tru, Hue City
- Price range: US$1.5
- Opening time: 7 am – 10 pm
Bun Bo Hue Ong Vong
- Address: 5 Nguyen Du, Hue City
- Price range: US$1-2
- Opening time: 3 pm – 6 pm
Suggested Vietnam tours to Hue city
The true taste of Bun Bo Hue is still best discovered in Hue. So why don’t you have a trip to this amazing city, learn to cook, and enjoy Bun Bo like a local?
Yen Nghiem – Travel Specialist
