Bánh Canh: Vietnamese Comfort Soup
A thick, flavorful Vietnamese noodle soup, known for its chewy tapioca noodles and rich pork broth, often featuring tender pork hock and aromatic garnishes.
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork hock cut into pieces
- 1 lb pork ribs optional
- 8 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp rock sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 medium yellow onion halved
- 1 inch ginger sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb bánh canh noodles fresh or dried
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Rinse pork hock and ribs thoroughly. Blanch pork in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then drain and rinse again to remove impurities.
- In a large pot, combine pork hock, ribs (if using), water, salt, rock sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then skim off any foam. Add onion and ginger.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours, or until pork hock is very tender. Remove pork from the broth and let cool slightly.
- Shred the pork meat from the bone, discarding bones and skin if preferred. Set aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove solids, then return broth to the pot.
- In a small pan, heat vegetable oil. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, then add to the strained broth.
- Cook bánh canh noodles according to package directions. If using fresh noodles, they usually cook quickly in the broth for a few minutes until tender and chewy. If dried, boil separately and rinse.
- To serve, place cooked noodles in individual bowls. Add shredded pork and ladle hot broth over. Garnish generously with chopped green onions, cilantro, and black pepper. Serve immediately with optional chili oil and lime wedges.
Notes
For extra richness, roast the pork bones before simmering. Adjust fish sauce and rock sugar to your taste. For homemade noodles, use a blend of 70% tapioca starch and 30% rice flour. Serve with lime wedges, chili oil, and fresh herbs.