Bún bò Huế

Ingredients

For the stock

• 4 tbsp shrimp paste
• 500 ml hot water
• 2 kg pork leg, skin on, halved
• 2 kg gravy beef, halved
• 2 kg oxtail
• 12 litres water
• 500 ml fish sauce, in all
• 4 tbsp rock salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, bruised
• 2 white onions, cut into rings
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 2 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 2 small bunches Vietnamese mint
• 2 tbsp sugar

For the chilli and shrimp-paste sauce

• 125 ml vegetable oil
• 100 g garlic, minced
• 2 lemongrass stems (pale part), finely chopped
• 25 g chilli flakes
• 125 ml chilli oil
• 2 tbsp mắm ruốc (Vietnamese fermented shrimp paste)

To serve

• 500 g thick rice vermicelli, cooked
• Lemon wedges, sliced chilli, bean sprouts and fish sauce

Method

1. Prepare the shrimp paste Dissolve the shrimp paste in the hot water, leave for 1 hour, strain and keep the liquid.
2. Marinate Put the pork and beef in a container with half the fish sauce and turn now and then for 1 hour.
3. Make the flavour bundle Heat the oil and cook the garlic and two-thirds of the onion until translucent. Wrap with the cinnamon, cloves and pepper in muslin and tie.
4. Start the stock Bring the 12 litres of water, rock salt, oxtail and the rest of the fish sauce to the boil. Skim and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming regularly.
5. Add the meats Add the beef, pork, lemongrass, spring onion whites, half the mint and the flavour bundle. Return to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming. The meat must be cooked through. Lift out all the meat.
6. Finish the stock Add the shrimp-paste liquid and sugar and simmer for about 1 hour until reduced by half. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve into a clean pan and cool completely.
7. Make the sauce Heat the oil, fry the garlic until light brown and remove. Add the lemongrass and chilli flakes for 2 minutes, take off the heat, add the chilli oil, return the garlic and shrimp paste and mix.
8. Assemble For each bowl, boil about 400 ml of stock. Slice the beef and pork thinly. Put vermicelli in a bowl, add 3 slices of each meat and 1 piece of oxtail, 2 tsp of sauce and the hot stock. Garnish with the remaining onion rings and spring onion greens.
9. Serve Serve with lemon, chilli, bean sprouts, the rest of the mint, fish sauce and extra sauce for dipping.

Food safety

Pork and beef must be cooked through and piping hot. A very large pot of boiling stock is a serious scald risk: use a stable burner and keep children away. Cool stock quickly (it keeps 3 days chilled or 3 months frozen) and reheat until piping hot.