My parents escaped Vietnam on a boat and became a refugee for a few years before being sponsored by a family in Minnesota. This is where I was born. I was given my name because it falls under the definition, to remember. My name’s a part of the phrase to describe ‘to remember in an endearing nostalgic way.’ That’s probably why you hear my name repeated a lot in cheesy Vietnamese songs..
Anyways, nothing makes my parents happier than to see their daughter embrace Vietnamese culture through traditional Vietnamese dishes. Or is it that they get to sleep with full Vietnamese bellies that they’re really happy? Either way, I am happy to make them happy. I am proud to be part of a nation which embraces so many different flavors and distinct tastes. There is no other food comparable in my eyes since every dish has its unique flavor and a nostalgic reminder of the times my parents made it for me growing up.
Bun Bo Hue Recipe:
These wont be exact ingredients, but it’ll explain in essence how this dish is made.
- Poach some pork feet in some salted water.
- clean and cut lemongrass in 4-6 inches stalks. Split the fatter ends or pound them to better allow them to release their essence.
- Boil some pork blood in salted water. When the water boils, bring the temperature down so it just simmers. Hard boils introduce more ‘bubbles’ in the pork blood.
- wash and put into a huge pot: beef shank, your blanched pork feet, beef ribs, beef bones, ox tails, a cleaned onion, 2 cubes rock sugar, some salt, and water.
- When you can poke your chopstick completely through the shank, remove it to be sliced. Remove the pork feet and ox tails when its at your preferred readiness.
- When your broth is almost done, add your gio song. This is pork 3xs processed to be in a paste with some fish sauce and sugar. I like to add lots of black pepper into my gio song with some bot nem (mushroom seasoning powder). Add your gio song in circular bite size shapes. I create this by using 2 spoons against each other.
- in a separate pan, add some oil and annatto seeds. Stir until the color releases itself. Make sure not to burn the seeds since it releases a bitter taste when burnt.
- strain the oil from the seeds and use that oil to saute some minced garlic and lemongrass. Add your dry bun bo hue seasoning mixture. I add some extra spicy cayenne pepper and paprika.
- remove lemongrass and onion from broth and add your oil from 6.
- season broth with salt and fish sauce as needed.
Top each bowl with some thinly sliced shank, a few pieces of pork blood cut into triangles, and cut up cilantro, green onion, and yellow onion.
The salad mixture to eat this with includes thinly sliced banana flower, shiso, mint, basil, and salad thinly shredded.
