Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs Pork or Chicken Bones (blanched and rinsed)
  • 10 quarts Water
  • 1 large Yellow Onion (peeled, halved)
  • 1/4 cup Dried Shrimp (rinsed, for the broth)
  • 8 medium, ripe Tomatoes (quartered)
  • 2 tbsp Annatto Seeds (for colour)
  • 3 tbsp Neutral Cooking Oil
  • 1 tbsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 cup + more to taste Fish Sauce (high quality)
  • 1 lb Crab Meat (fresh or high-quality canned, well-drained)
  • 4 oz Ground Pork (optional, for texture stability)
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Dried Shrimp (rehydrated, finely minced, for the rieu)
  • 2 small Shallots (finely minced)
  • 1 tbsp Fish Sauce (for the rieu mixture)
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Fermented Shrimp Paste (Mắm Tôm) (optional)
  • 1 lb Thin Rice Vermicelli Noodles (Bún)
  • 8-10 pieces Fried Tofu Puffs (Đậu Hũ Chiên)
  • 1 cup Fresh Bean Sprouts
  • 1 cup Shredded Lettuce (Iceberg or Romaine)
  • Large handful of Mint, Perilla, and Thai Basil Leaves
  • 2 Limes
  • Sliced Red Chillies (e.g., Bird's Eye), To taste

Instructions:

  1. Blanch the Bones: Place pork/chicken bones in the stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse bones thoroughly, and clean the pot. This removes impurities.
  2. Start the Broth: Return rinsed bones and the halved onion to the clean pot. Add 10 quarts (9.5L) of fresh cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, then reduce heat immediately to a gentle simmer. Cook for 90 minutes, skimming any foam or impurities regularly.
  3. Prepare Annatto Oil: Gently heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan. Add annatto seeds and cook on low heat until the oil turns a deep ruby red (about 5 minutes). Strain out and discard the seeds, reserving the oil.
  4. Sauté Aromatics & Tomatoes: In a separate large pan, heat half of the annatto oil. Add the quartered tomatoes and sauté briskly until they begin to soften and release their juices. Season lightly with salt and sugar. Set aside.
  5. Add Dried Shrimp: Add the rinsed dried shrimp (1/4 cup) and the sautéed tomatoes/juice to the simmering broth base. Continue simmering while preparing the rieu.
  6. Prepare the Rieu Mixture: In a bowl, combine the crab meat, ground pork (if using), minced shallots, minced rehydrated dried shrimp (2 tbsp), eggs, 1 tbsp fish sauce, pepper, and the optional mắm tôm. Mix gently until just combined.
  7. Test the Seasoning: Cook a small spoonful of the rieu mixture in the broth or a separate small pan to check the seasoning. Adjust fish sauce or salt if necessary.
  8. Cook the Rieu: Bring the broth back up to a steady, gentle simmer. Using a spoon, gently drop large dollops of the rieu mixture directly onto the surface of the broth. Do NOT stir the broth now.
  9. Allow to Set: Let the rieu cook undisturbed for 10–15 minutes. The crab mixture will coagulate and rise to the surface, forming floating cakes.
  10. Finish Broth Seasoning: Once the rieu is set, carefully remove the bones and onion from the broth. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup fish sauce and taste. Adjust seasoning. Stir in the remaining annatto oil for color.
  11. Prepare Noodles: Cook the vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain immediately, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and drain well again.
  12. Build the Bowl: Place a generous portion of noodles in a deep serving bowl. Layer with bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, and sliced tofu puffs.
  13. Ladle and Serve: Carefully ladle the hot broth over the noodles, ensuring each bowl receives several floating rieu cakes and pieces of tomato.
  14. Garnish: Serve immediately with a side plate piled high with fresh mint, basil, perilla leaves, lime wedges, and sliced chillies.