Bún Suông Recipe: Suông Vermicelli Soup

Bún suông is a vermicelli soup that may be new to many people. A seasoned shrimp mixture is pressed by hand into the boiling broth and cooks there into shrimp balls. The broth is made with pork bones and daikon and finished with annatto oil, and the bowl is topped with sliced pork and herbs.

Time: the broth simmers for 2 hours, and the shrimp mixture chills in the fridge for 2 hours.

Ingredients

For the broth

• 800 g pork bones
• 1 large daikon (white radish), peeled and cut into short chunks
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked for 5 minutes
• 4–5 bowls of water
• Annatto seed oil and minced garlic, for finishing

For the shrimp balls

• 500 g silver shrimps
• Garlic and shallots (purple onions), peeled
• 1 teaspoon annatto seed oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon Maggi seasoning
• 2 teaspoons tapioca starch
• A little pepper

For the bowls

• 300 g pork, half lean and half fat
• Rice vermicelli (bún)
• Bean sprouts, salad, basil
• Spring onion and coriander, sliced
• Lime and chilli
• Chilli paste or sauté
• Fried shallots (optional)

How to make bún suông

1. Start the broth

Clean the pork bones carefully, soak them in hot water for 3–4 minutes, then rinse again under fresh water.

Put the bones in a clean pot with the dried shrimp, the daikon and 4–5 bowls of water. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming off foam whenever it collects on top.

2. Make the shrimp mixture

Peel the shrimp and pull out the dark vein along each back. Soak them for 15 minutes in water with a little salt, rinse, and let them drain dry.

Mince the garlic and shallots, then grind them with the shrimp until smooth.

Move the mixture to a bowl and season it with the pepper, 1 teaspoon annatto oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Maggi and 2 teaspoons tapioca starch. Mix until it turns soft and thick. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Cook the pork

Rinse the pork and boil it until cooked through. Let it cool, then slice it thinly and arrange it on a plate.

4. Make the shrimp balls in the broth

Take the shrimp mixture out of the fridge and work it with a spoon for about 5 minutes. Spoon it into a plastic bag and snip off the tip.

Strain the broth to remove all the small bones, which can be dangerous when eating. In a second pot, heat annatto seed oil, fry the garlic until fragrant, pour in the strained broth (add more water if you want) and bring it back to the boil. Season to taste.

With the broth at a steady boil, use your hands to press the mixture gently out of the bag straight into the pot, in whatever lengths you like. Cook for 5–10 minutes. Wait until the shrimp balls float on the surface of the broth. Season the broth again to your taste.

5. Prepare the greens and serve

Wash the bean sprouts and leave them to drain. Wash the salad, halving any long leaves, and pick the basil leaves off their stems.

Put a portion of vermicelli in each bowl and lay pork slices on top. Ladle in the broth with the shrimp balls. Finish with spring onion, coriander and, if you like, fried shallots. Eat it hot, with the greens, chilli paste or sauté, and lime.