Mì quảng, Quang noodle, came from Quảng Nam. Today you can find it in restaurants all over Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s also easy to cook at home: shrimp and pork are marinated, fried with shallot and chili paste, then simmered briefly in a pork-bone broth. Unlike phở and other noodle soups, the bowl gets only a little broth. Time: the shrimp and the pork each marinate for 30–60 minutes; the broth boils for about 2 hours, then 30 minutes more. Ingredients 1 kg Quang noodles (sold at any Vietnamese market) Pork bones (the original gives “kg” but no number) ½ kg fresh shrimp ½ kg pork, half lean and half fat 200 g roasted peanuts, crushed small Shallot, chili paste Cilantro, spring onion, bean sprouts, vegetables Dried pancakes (bánh đa), optional For the marinade: salt, pepper, sugar and MSG How to make mì quảng 1. Marinate the shrimp and pork Peel and clean the shrimp, then marinate them with salt, pepper, sugar and MSG. Leave them for 30–60 minutes. Slice the half-lean, half-fat pork and marinate it the same way, also for 30–60 minutes. 2. Make the broth This is the main step. Boil the pork bones in 1 liter of water for about 2 hours. When it boils, skim off the dirty foam on the surface. Then add a little salt and cook for 30 minutes more. 3. Fry the shrimp and pork Heat a pan over medium heat with a little oil. Fry the sliced shallot with 1 teaspoon chili paste (more or less, to your taste), then add the shrimp and fry until they turn pink. Turn off the heat. Do the same with the pork: shallot and chili paste first, then the pork. 4. Cook the noodles Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the Quang noodles and cook for about 3–5 minutes. Drain them, then soak them in cold water for 3 minutes. 5. Finish the broth and serve Add the shrimp and pork to the broth and cook for about 5 minutes, or until it boils. Season again to suit your taste. Put bean sprouts and vegetables in the bottom of each bowl and add the noodles on top. Scoop the broth into the bowl, but don’t use much: one scoop is just right. Top with sliced cilantro, roasted peanuts and spring onion. Eating it with dried pancakes (bánh đa) is perfect on rainy days. Share:
