For broth
- 6 pounds pork bones (neck or spine—Grandma says that spine is tastiest)
- 1 daikon, peeled, trimmed, and cut in half or thirds
- 1 cup dried shrimp or 2 dried cuttlefish
- 7 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon monosodium glutamate (optional)
For toppings and garnish
- 1.5 pounds ground pork
- 1.5 pounds pork shoulder/butt
- 2 bunch scallions, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
For noodles
- 2 pounds thin or wide egg noodles (mì) or wide rice noodles (hủ tiếu), prepared according to directions on package
Make broth
Place the pork bones in a large stockpot. Fill the stockpot with
enough water to cover the surface of the bones and bring to a boil. The
pork bones will have some impurities that need to be washed away, so
once the water comes to a boil, discard it and collect the bones in a
colander.
One by one, rinse the bones to remove any scum. The cleaner the bones, the clearer the broth will be.
After giving the stockpot a thorough cleaning, fill it with 8 quarts
of water and bring to a boil. Make sure to leave room for the water to
rise when you add the bones and daikon. Once the water has come to a
boil, add in the cleaned bones, daikon, and dried shrimp or cuttlefish.
Let the broth come to a boil once more, skimming the surface as needed
using a fine mesh skimmer.
Next, lower the heat to medium-low and bring all of the ingredients
to a gentle simmer (such that you see a few small bubbles breaking the
surface every few seconds) and cook for 3-4 hours, skimming off any fat
or foam that rises to the surface. Be sure that the broth is not boiling
to avoid a cloudy broth. If the broth reduces too much, add additional
water.
Finally, season the broth with salt, fish sauce, sugar, and
monosodium glutamate if using. The broth should taste just a touch
saltier than one would expect to desire because the noodles and
garnishes aren’t seasoned for the most part.
Make ground pork topping
While the broth is simmering on the stove, prepare the garnishes and
toppings. Combine the ground pork with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of
black pepper, and chopped scallions (one bunch, white parts only). Once
the pork mixture is thoroughly combined, cover, and set in the
refrigerator.
Make fried pork topping
In a saute pan with a lid, heat two tablespoons of oil over medium
heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the pork shoulder/butt and cover with
the lid. The goal is to sear and caramelize the pork’s exterior and
fully cook the interior. Turn the pork every 5-10 minutes as each side
browns.
Repeat until each side of the meat has been seared and the interior is fully cooked. Set aside to cool completely.
The meat is ready to be sliced once it is completely cool.
Assemble Hu Tieu Mi
Place a portion of noodles in each soup bowl and garnish with chopped
scallions (white and green parts) and slices of fried pork.
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, ladle in enough
broth for the number of servings that you are preparing at that time,
approximately 2 cups of broth for each bowl. Bring the broth to a boil
and add the ground pork mixture, approximately 1/4 cup per person.
Once the pork is completely cooked, ladle the hot broth into the
prepared noodle bowls. Serve immediately with additional black pepper.
ENJOY IT!!!
THANKS!