Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang Recipe

Hủ tiếu Nam Vang, also known as Vietnamese pork and prawn clear noodle soup or Phnom Penh noodle soup, is a Vietnamese fusion dish that blends Cambodian and Chinese influences. It is light yet flavorful and filling, thanks to adding meat and seafood.

It is one of the most well-loved street foods in Saigon, with countless vendors selling it everywhere. If you’ve tried phở, an iconic Northern Vietnam dish, and were mesmerized by the rich and aromatic broth, I’m sure this wonderful treat from the South of Vietnam will captivate you as well.

The Story Behind Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang

While hủ tiếu Nam Vang is famous in Vietnam, it originated in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. More interestingly, the Chinese living in Cambodia were actually the ones who created it. In the Khmer language, the dish is called Kuay Tiew.

Traditionally, the Cambodians cook the broth using pig intestine and ground meat, then serve it with a type of semi-transparent noodles made from tapioca starch. When Kuay Tiev came to Vietnam, the locals adapted the original recipe to their taste and started replacing the pork entrails with pork bones, seafood, etc.

In general, you can find pork slices, seafood, such as prawn and squid, boiled quail eggs, pork liver, pork heart, and ground pork in a serving of Vietnamese hủ tiếu Nam Vang. There is also a regional version of this dish called hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho, which includes more seafood.

Tools Overview for Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang Preparation

You will be surprised by the simplicity of the required tools for this recipe. All of them are basic kitchenware that everyone has.

Necessary Ingredients for Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang

There are 3 main groups of ingredients in this recipe. The first group contains the main protein and root vegetables. The second one is for the vegetables, and the last one is for the necessary spices and condiments.

Main Ingredients

Vegetables:

Spices:

Crafting Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang: A Simple 7-Step Guide

Here are the detailed instructions for making Phnom Penh noodle soup at home. Follow these 7 steps to create a delightful meal for your loved ones!

Step 1: Clean the Ingredients

Clean the prawns’ heads and devein them. Knowing the proper guide to clean shrimp is essential if you want to add the prawns’ boiling water to the broth. Otherwise, feel free to skip it.

Rinse the squid, pork bones, shoulder blade, liver, heart, and vegetables thoroughly.

Rinse the noodles quickly and leave them to dry.

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

Mince the shallots and garlic, keeping them separated. Divide the minced shallots into 2 even portions.

Finely chop the scallions and cilantro, keeping the roots.

Cut the pickled radish, white radish, carrot, leek, chives, and jicama into pieces. Then, rinse the jicama pieces to prevent them from clouding the broth.

Slice the ginger and cut the onion in half.

Marinate the ground pork with 1 teaspoon of soup powder and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

Finally, score the squid by making criss-cross patterns on the sides. Then, slice it to create a more appealing shape.

Step 3: Make the Broth

Add water to a pot along with some scallion roots, scallions, and ginger slices. Bring the water to a boil and use it to blanch the pork liver, heart, shoulder blade, and bones for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the blanched ingredients into cold water and clean them to remove any debris and odor. Don’t skip this step as it ensures that your broth is clear and fragrant.

Pour about 1 quart of water into another pot together with a couple of scallion roots, ginger slices, and half an onion to cook the prawns and squid. Cook them for 5 minutes over medium heat, skimming the water. Once done, transfer them into a cold water bath to improve their crispiness.

Add the dry shrimp into a pan and fry them for 3 to 5 minutes or until fragrant.

Pour about 3.5 quarts of water into a large pot. Add the pork bones, shoulder blade, liver, and heart, along with half an onion, white radish, pickled radish, jicama, carrot, scallion roots, cilantro roots, leek, and fried dry shrimp to the pot.

Stew for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes over low heat. After 30 minutes, transfer the pork liver and heart to cold water. Remember to skim the broth frequently.

Step 4: Stir Fry the Ground Pork

Add the minced garlic to a heated pan and fry until fragrant or turning golden brown. Set aside.

Add cooking oil and half of the minced shallots to the same pan and stir until fragrant. Add the ground pork and stir-fry it for about 5 minutes, then pour in 1 small bowl of pork broth or water.

As the meat is already well-marinated, you don’t need to season it any further. Simply add the chopped scallions and continue cooking until well done.

Step 5: Make The Sauce

Add cooking oil to a heated pan. Stir in the remaining minced shallots and cook until fragrant. Then, pour in:

Stir to combine for about 2 to 3 minutes, and the sauce is ready!

Step 6: Finish the Dish

After 1 hour and 30 minutes of stewing, pour in the prawns’ boiling water and remove all ingredients from the stock pot.

Season the broth with:

Peel the prawns, keeping their heads. Slice the pork shoulder, liver, and heart into bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the hủ tiếu noodles with boiled water and a little cooking oil for 30 to 40 seconds to prevent them from clumping.

Step 7: Arrange the Dish

Place the crown daisy, bean sprouts, and lettuces in a corner next to the noodles. Arrange the prawns, squid, pork shoulder, heart, and liver on top of the noodles. Finish with a sprinkle of chives, ground pork, and fried garlic.

You can drizzle the sauce over the noodles and serve it dry with a bowl of broth on the side or pour the broth onto the noodles. The dish will taste great either way!

Tricks for a Tastier Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang

The tips in this section will help elevate your Vietnamese pork and prawn clear noodle soup and provide you with some viable alternative ingredients.

Don’t Miss Out on Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang

Unlike some other Vietnamese delicacies that might have a rather overwhelming taste, hủ tiếu Nam Vang is very crowd-pleasing. Better yet, you can enjoy this dish for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. There’s literally no wrong time for a bowl of this hot noodle soup!

How do you feel about this Southern Vietnam treat? Have you tried it before? Drop some comments below to share your thoughts with me. Besides, don’t forget to share this post with other people. Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you next time with more delicious dishes!