Bún Bò Huế Đặc Biệt with Oxtail and Homemade Chả Huế

Method

1. Soak the oxtail in cold water for 1 hour to draw out the blood. Put the oxtail, pork bones and whole shank in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to the boil over high heat and blanch for 8 min. Rinse thoroughly under running water, cleaning between the bones.

   Add in this stepOxtail, cut into segments 450 gPork neck or back bones 500 gBeef shank 250 g

   high heat

2. Halve the onion and half the shallots, skin on, and place them cut side down in a dry frying pan on medium-high heat for 6 min, until blackened in patches. That char adds sweetness and depth to the broth.

   Add in this stepOnion 1Shallots 1½

   medium-high heat

3. Bash two-thirds of the lemongrass and tie it in a bundle. In a clean 26 cm stockpot, combine the water, blanched bones and meat, charred onion and shallots and the lemongrass, bring to the boil over high heat, skim, then turn down to low heat and simmer very gently for 2 h 30 min. Only small bubbles should break the surface, or the broth turns cloudy. After about 1 hour 30 minutes, when a chopstick slides into the shank, lift it out into cold water; top up with hot water as the broth reduces.

   Add in this stepWater 2,600 mlLemongrass stalks 2¾

   high heat→low heat

4. For the chả Huế, mix the minced pork with part of the fish sauce, part of the garlic, the pepper and the potato starch, then beat it hard in one direction for 2–3 minutes until sticky. Press it 3 cm thick into a small oiled heatproof dish and steam over boiling water on medium-high heat for 18 min. When it is springy and reaches at least 71 °C in the centre, cool it and cut into 5 mm slices.

   Add in this stepMinced pork (not too lean) 120 gFish sauce ½ tbspGarlic, minced 1¼Coarsely ground black pepper ½ tspPotato starch 2 tsp

   medium-high heat

5. For the saté, mince the remaining lemongrass finely. Warm the oil and annatto in a small pan on low heat for 2 min until the oil turns orange, then remove the seeds. Add the remaining shallots (minced), the remaining garlic and the minced lemongrass, fry until fragrant, then turn off the heat and stir in the chilli flakes.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2 tbspAnnatto seeds 1½ tspShallots 1½Garlic, minced 2¾Lemongrass stalks 1¼Dried chilli flakes 1½ tsp

   low heat

6. Strain the broth into a clean pot and skim off some of the fat. Dissolve the shrimp paste in about four times its volume of water and let it settle for 10 min; add only the clear liquid. Add the remaining fish sauce, rock sugar, salt and half the saté and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 min, adjusting the seasoning. Return the oxtail to the broth to heat through.

   Add in this stepVietnamese fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc) 1½ tbspFish sauce 2 tbspRock sugar 15 gSalt 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

7. Bring 3 L of water to a rolling boil over high heat, cook the noodles for 12 min, rinse under cold water and drain.

   Add in this stepThick round rice noodles, dried 160 g

   high heat

8. Slice the shank 3 mm thick against the grain. Put the noodles in bowls and arrange the shank, oxtail and chả Huế on top, add red onion and spring onions, then pour over broth brought to a rolling boil over high heat. Serve the vegetables, herbs, lime and remaining saté on the side.

   Add in this stepMung bean sprouts 80 gCabbage, finely shredded 60 gRed onion, thinly sliced ½Spring onions 2Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) 8 gPerilla or Vietnamese shiso leaves 5 gLime 1

   high heat