Bun Rieu holds a special place in Vietnamese cuisine, with its unforgettable tangy and creamy soup enhanced by crab meat, pork, fried tofu, and tomatoes. This is my super simple take on this classic dish.
There are two main components to Bun Rieu: the soup and the "rieu," a mixture of crab meat and spices.
Ingredients
- 0.5 pound of ground pork
- 2 pounds of pork neck bones
- 1 jar of minced crab meat/paste
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, cross-cut to the center, but keep it whole
- 3 cloves of garlic and another half onion, minced/processed
- 4 tomatoes, cut into 1/4 wedges
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons of brown/palm sugar
- 4 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Rice vermicelli noodles, cooked according to the package's instructions
Instructions
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Place all your pork bones in a large pot and submerge them in water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and a generous slice of ginger to cleanse the meat of gunk and odor. Boil on high heat for 15 minutes. Drain the water and wash the pork bones in the sink.
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Transfer the pork bones to an instant pot, adding 1 large onion, a slice of ginger, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to extract collagen and minerals. Cook under high pressure for 45 minutes.
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While the instant pot is cooking, prepare the "rieu." In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, minced garlic and onion, minced crab meat/paste, and 1 egg. Mix until you achieve a pasty consistency. Refrigerate.
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In a frying pan, sauté minced garlic and onion over medium heat until fragrant. Add the tomato wedges and fry each side for 5 minutes.
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When the instant pot is done, release the pressure. Strain the soup using a fine mesh strainer, discarding the onion, ginger, and any residue. Keep the pork bones and the clear soup.
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Use the "soup" function on the instant pot without the lid to bring the soup back to a simmer. Add mushroom seasoning, fish sauce, and sugar. Taste the soup and adjust the fish sauce if needed. If the umami is too strong, add some hot water and sugar. Add the fried tomatoes.
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Scoop out the crab paste mixture "Rieu" and add it to the soup along with the tomatoes and optional but highly recommended fried tofu. The crab paste is cooked when it floats to the top.
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Cook the rice noodles according to the package's instructions.
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Assemble your bowl with noodles, green onions, cilantro (or go plain), generous scoops of the floating crab paste, and some pork neck bones.
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Enjoy!
Variations and Tips To deepen the flavor of your Bun Rieu, you can incorporate additional ingredients like deep-fried tofu, shrimp paste, crab paste, or dried shrimp. These additions will enhance the overall taste and aroma of the soup. You can also garnish your Bun Rieu with fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, and sliced chilies for extra crunch and spice.
Savor the taste! Now, onto the tools! The tools I personally use can make this recipe easier without compromising flavor. If you enjoy this video, please consider using these links to support my efforts.
-Fine mesh strainer for step 5.
-Food processor for step 3.
-Non Stick Pan for step 4.