Bún Bò Huế

Ingredients

Quantities are for one portion.

• 10 gfresh mint leaves
• 1 tbspchili oil (annatto seed oil preferred)
• 1stalk lemongrass, bruised
• 150 gbeef shank (with a small bone for broth)
• 1 tspshrimp paste (mắm ruốc)
• 20 gred cabbage, very thinly shredded
• 70 gthick dry rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 tspfish sauce

Method

1. In a pot, cover the beef shank and bone with water. Bring to a rapid boil for five minutes, then dump the water and rinse the meat to clean it.
2. Return the clean meat to the pot with fresh water. Add the bruised lemongrass stalk. Simmer gently for an hour to create a clear, aromatic broth.
3. Dissolve the fermented shrimp paste in a spoonful of water and stir it into the simmering broth. Add the fish sauce.
4. Remove the cooked beef shank, slice the meat very thinly, and set it aside.
5. In a separate pot, boil the thick dry rice vermicelli noodles until soft but chewy. Drain and divide into a deep bowl.
6. Stir the red chili oil into the hot broth to create a fierce, spicy red layer on the surface.
7. Lay the beef slices over the noodles. Pour the boiling red broth over the meat. Serve hot alongside a plate of the shredded raw cabbage and fresh mint.