Tasty Noodles with Prawns and Pork or Hu Tieu

What is Hu Tieu?

It’s hard to describe. “Hu Tieu” may mean a type of thin flat slightly chewy rice noodle or a dish with mixed toppings using different types of noodles such as egg noodles, chewy tapioca noodles or rice noodles, or a combination of 2 noodles.

It’s believed that the Hu Tieu dish is influenced by the Chinese from Chiu Chow (Hủ Tiếu Tàu) and by the Cambodian (Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang). In Vietnam, the most famous Hu Tieu is from Mỹ Tho city in the Mekong Delta: Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho. There are as many ways to prepare Hu Tieu as there are Chefs… Seems like everybody wants to add a personal twist to the recipe.

This Los Angeles Times article by Andrea Nguyen is an interesting read with lots of tips on where to eat the best Hu Tieu in town.

What’s the difference between Pho and Hu Tieu?

Pho commonly uses Beef as main protein. For Hu Tieu, you could use any combination of pork, chicken, prawns, crabmeat, squid, quail eggs and fried wontons. Both Pho and Hu Tieu use rice noodles, but the variety used in Hu Tieu is thinner and chewier. Lastly, the broth tastes very different. To confuse matters even more, Hu Tieu can be served with or without broth…

Pho is a specialty originating from North Vietnam, Bun Bo Hue is a delicacy from the Central region, whereas Hu Tieu is from the South.

How to enjoy Hu Tieu?

Hu Tieu can be served like a multi-topping noodles soup or like a noodles salad with a tasty dressing: “Hu Tieu Khô” or dry noodles.

I grew up in Saigon, in the South, and enjoy all types of Hu Tieu. Check out my recipes for Hu Tieu Bo Kho (Braised Beef Noodles Soup) and Hu Tieu Ga Ca (Chicken and Fish Noodles Soup).

Hu Tieu Recipe

This recipe is versatile, for Hu Tieu served as noodles soup and for Hu Tieu Khô, the “dry” version with a dressing and broth on the side.

The Toppings

As mentioned earlier, you can have as many toppings as you wish: Blanched Chicken, Roast Pork (Char Siu or Xa Xiu) or Boiled Pork, Minced Pork, Boiled Quail Eggs, Blanched Prawns and Squid, Crab meat, Crispy Fried wontons. In my opinion, the 3 “must” ingredients that make the dish are Roast or Boiled Pork, Minced Pork and Blanched Prawns.

Tasty Noodles with Prawns and Pork or Hu Tieu 1 — Taste Topics – Hu Tieu toppings

The Noodles

You can use Rice Noodles (“Banh Pho”), Tapioca Noodles (thick clear noodles, with chewy texture “Banh Hu Tieu”) or thin Egg Noodles (“Mi”), or a combination of Rice Noodles and Egg Noodles.

The Broth

Hu Tieu broth is really tasty, made with pork bones, with a distinctive flavor from dried shrimps or dried squid, fresh garlic and preserved sweet turnip. The daikon and onion add a sweetness to the broth.

The Garnish

Vietnamese dishes use a lot of fresh herbs and garnishes. There are 3 garnishes that distinguish Hu Tieu from other Noodles Soups: Chinese Celery, chives and crisp fried shallots.

Ingredients (4 to 5 servings)

The Broth

2 lbs (1 kg) pork bones or chicken bones
8 dried shrimp or 1 dried squid (torn into pieces), soaked in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse and drain.
1 daikon (peel and cut into large chunks)
1 yellow onion (peel; leave whole)
6 to 8 whole garlic cloves
1 tbsp pork or chicken stock powder (or Hu Tieu stock powder)
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp rock sugar or regular sugar
2-1/2 liters water (about 10 cups)

The Toppings

1/2 lb Pork (pork butt or shoulder)
1/2 lb (230 g) Ground Pork
12 Hard-boiled quail eggs
10-15 large shrimp (size 21-15, peeled and deveined)
1 bag frozen scored squid
12 frozen wontons
Cooking oil

The Noodles

1 package (1 lb/16 oz) fresh or dried tapioca noodles (Hu Tieu noodles; presoak if using dried noodles) or rice noodles.
Sesame oil

The Garnish

1/2 cup preserved radish
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and minced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 bag bean sprouts
1 bunch garlic chives (trim off ends, cut into 2 inch segments and blanch)
Green onions (trim off end and slice thin)
Chinese/Asian Celery, sliced into 1/2 inch segments
Black pepper
Cooking oil

The Dressing (Sauce)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato sauce
3 tbsp rock or granulated sugar
2 cups stock
1/2 tbsp cornstarch mixed in 3 tbsp water
Chili garlic oil

Instructions

Boil the pork/chicken bones in a large pot of water (to cover) for around 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bones and rinse under running water. Discard the boiled water.
Clean the pot and add the 2-1/2 liters of water, blanched bones, the pork, dried shrimp, daikon, garlic cloves and yellow onion. Bring pot to a low simmer and cook for 1 to 1 and half hour (After about 50 minutes, remove the pork, rinse under cold water. When cool, thinly slice the pork.). To keep the stock clear, remove any impurities that float to the surface with a strainer.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions. When the noodles is almost cooked, drop the bean sprouts to quickly blanch. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain. Divide into serving bowls and toss with a drizzle of sesame oil.
Heat 1 inch of oil in a small pan till very hot (if you dip a wooden chopstick into the oil, bubbles will immediately form around the stick), fry the wontons till golden brown. Drain on plate lined with paper towel.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the minced garlic and fry till golden, remove and put in a small bowl with a little sugar to keep it crispy. In the same pan, repeat the same with the mince shallots.
In the same pan, heat a little oil and fry the preserved radish. Remove and season with a little salt and sugar to taste.
Prepare the protein toppings and vegetables/garnish.
In a bowl, put the minced pork and season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of water to loosen the meat and with chopsticks stir to separate any clumps.
Remove the solids from the stockpot, bring the broth to boil, drop the raw shrimps and precooked squid directly into the stock to blanch for 1-2 minutes (do not overcook). Use a strainer or slotted spoon to remove squid and shrimp. Put the minced pork in a mesh strainer and dip into the broth to cook. Set aside. Season stock with salt, sugar, stock powder to taste.
Make the dressing / sauce. In a medium-size sauce pan, add vegetable oil and heat on medium-high. Add shallots and garlic. Saute until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, chili garlic oil, 2 cups stock and corn starch slurry. Heat on medium until sauce thickens then set aside.
To assemble, add noodles and bean sprouts in each bowl. Add a few slices of pork, the quail eggs, shrimps and squids, garlic chives. Garnish with fried shallots and fried garlic, green onions, and a dash of black pepper. Serve the dressing / sauce in a bowl on the side. Serve the broth, sprinkle minced green onions on top, in another bowl on the side. Now enjoy to your heart’s content!

Tasty Noodles with Prawns and Pork or Hu Tieu — Taste Topics – Hu Tieu Kho with broth and sauce served on the side

Tasty Noodles with Prawns and Pork or Hu Tieu 3 — Pour the sauce over the Hu Tieu bowl and dig in!

This may seem like a long recipe with many steps but it’s so worth making it! The flavors and toppings add many layers of enjoyment!

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Most ingredients are available from Asian supermarkets. If you don’t live near one, some ingredients can be purchased from Amazon.