Vietnamese Crab and Pork Noodle Soup (Bun Rieu) Recipe

Ingredients

For Soup:

• 50 g shallots, about four large cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 2 lb tomatoes, quartered (any type)
• 1 tsp shrimp paste, Lee Kum Kee, fermented, diluted in a small bowl w a bit of water for even dispersion
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp rock sugar, granulated is ok too
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 43 1⁄2 fl oz chicken broth, or make your own broth with water and 1 lb pork ribs
• 43 1⁄2 fl oz water
• 2 tsp monosodium glutamate seasoning

For Meatballs:

• 25 g shallot, sliced, (about two large cloves)
• 1⁄8 lb raw shrimp, shells removed, deveined.
• 2⁄3 lb ground pork
• 5.6 fl oz prawn , canned, minced, or minced crab with spices. Lee brand
• 57 g crab, steamed or canned, optional. If using frozen or canned, lightly squeeze to remove excess moisture.
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 green onions stalks, cut into 1.5″ pieces

For Accoutrement (All Optional):

• 1 lb tofu, deep fried
• 1⁄2 lb raw bean sprouts
• kinh gioi, Vietnamese balm, (1 bunch)
• mint, (1 bunch)
• tia to, purple perilla, (1 bunch)
• shrimp paste, on the side
• lime, sliced
• 4 thai chiles

For Noodles:.

• 1 lb dried rice vermicelli sticks, small noodle size. Thap Chua brand (but any will do)