Alright, alright, let’s talk about this bun rieu thing, yeah? My kids always yellin’ at me, sayin’ I gotta eat healthier, more of that… what they call it… “protein” and “vitamins.” Humph, back in my day, we ate what we had and we were strong as oxen! But this bun rieu, it ain’t half bad. It’s got all that stuff, I guess, and it tastes pretty darn good too.
So, what is it? Well, some fancy folks call it Vietnamese Crab, Pork & Tomato Noodle Soup. Sounds like a mouthful, don’t it? I just call it bun rieu. It’s noodles, you see, in a kinda soupy broth. And it’s got crab, yeah, real crab, not that fake stuff. And pork, the good kind, with some fat on it, makes it tasty, you know? And tomatoes, lots of ’em, makes the soup all red and tangy.
- Noodles: You gotta get the right noodles, the ones for bun rieu, not too thin, not too thick. Gotta cook ’em just right too, not too soft, not too hard. Like goldilocks and the porridge I always say, ha!
- Crab: Like I said, real crab. Some folks use the canned stuff, but it ain’t the same. You gotta get the fresh stuff, boil it, and pick out the meat. It’s a bit of work, but it’s worth it, trust me.
- Pork: Get some pork belly, the kind with the skin on. Gotta boil it, then slice it thin. Some folks use ground pork too, but I like the slices better. More to chew on, you see.
- Tomatoes: Lots of ’em, like I said. Gotta chop ’em up and cook ’em down till they’re all soft and mushy. That’s what makes the soup that pretty red color and that nice tangy taste.
- Other stuff: You gotta have some shrimp paste, gives it that smell, you know? And some fried tofu, if you like. And some green onions and cilantro, for fancy-like.
Now, how you make it? Well, it ain’t rocket science, that’s for sure. First, you gotta make the broth. Boil the pork bones, yeah, the bones, not just the meat. Gotta boil ’em for a long time, to get all the flavor out. Then you add the tomatoes, and the crab, and the shrimp paste. And let it simmer, simmer, simmer. The longer it simmers, the better it tastes, like me, I get better with age, heh!
Then you gotta cook the noodles. Boil ’em in water, just till they’re done. Don’t overcook ’em, or they’ll be mushy. And then you put it all together. Noodles in a bowl, broth on top, some pork slices, some fried tofu, if you’re usin’ it, and some green onions and cilantro. And there you have it: bun rieu!
Some folks, they like to eat it with raw vegetables. Lettuce, some kinda purple leaves, I don’t know the names. And banana flowers, can you believe it? They slice ’em up thin and eat ’em raw. I ain’t too fond of it myself, but my grandkids, they love it. Says it’s “refreshing.” Kids these days, always wantin’ something different.
Now, this bun rieu thing, they say it’s different in different places. Up north, they call it something else, “canh bun,” I think. The noodles are different, and the vegetables too. But it’s all the same kinda thing, noodles and soup and stuff. This bun rieu, it’s from the north originally, so they say. But we eat it down here too, and it’s just as good.
And they also say somethin’ ’bout water spinach. Rau muong, they call it. They cut up the stems and eat it with the bun rieu. It’s real popular, they say. I ain’t tried it myself, but I might give it a go one of these days. Always somethin’ new to try, even for an old woman like me.
So there you have it. Bun rieu. It’s good for ya, they say. It’s tasty, I know. And it’s easy to make, even for someone who ain’t no fancy chef, like me. Just good, plain food, the kind that fills your belly and makes you feel good. And that’s all that matters, right? So go on, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed, I reckon.
