Recipe: Saigon Noodle Soup Hu Tien

Saigon Noodle Soup Hu Tien
Nicole Routhier provides a recipe for this "dry" noodle dish in her book The Foods of Vietnam. The broth and noodles are served separately and the eater takes turns eating first one and then the other.

1/2 cup crisp-fried shallots (see below)
1 pound 1/4-inch wide dried rice sticks (banh pho)
3 tablespoons preserved vegetables (tan xai)
4 chicken thighs
8 medium raw shrimp in the shell (about 8 ounces)
4 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 port cutlets (about 8 ounces)
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sliced scallion greens
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nuoc mam)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 cups fresh bean sprouts
4 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons shredded coriander
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the crisp-fried shallots. Reserve one tablespoon of the oil. Soak the rice sticks and preserved vegetables separately in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.
Combine one tablespoon of the preserved vegetables, the chicken thighs, shrimp, and the chicken broth in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the shrimp and refresh under cold water. Set aside.

Continue to simmer the broth until the chicken thighs are cooked, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove the chicken pieces and refresh under cold water. Set aside. Cover the soup pot and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the pork cutlets and cook on both sides until browned, about six minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Thinly slice the pork. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and thinly slice. Peel the shrimp and halve lengthwise. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a skillet. Add the garlic, the remaining two tablespoons preserved vegetables and the scallion greens (reserve two tablespoons to garnish the broth); stir-fry briefly. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and 1/4 cup of the soup broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

Bring three quarts of water to a boil in a pot. Pack the bean sprouts and scallion pieces in a strainer. Dip the strainer in the boiling water for five seconds. Remove and refresh under cold water. Drain. Drop the rice noodles into the boiling water. Drain immediately. Rinse with cold water to remove any excess starch. Dry again.

Divide the sauce, bean sprouts, scallions and noodles among four large soup bowls. Arrange the pork, chicken and shrimp over the top. Sprinkle with the fried shallots, cilantro and black pepper. Reheat the broth, then ladle into four small soup bowls. Sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens and a dash of sesame oil.

Before eating, toss the noodles. Serve the broth on the side.
serves 4

Crisp-fried Shallots
This is Nicole Routhier's recipe

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

Heat the oil in a small saucepan until hot but not smoking, about 300 F. Add the shallots and fry over moderate heat until crispy and golden brown, about five minutes. Do not overcook. Immediately remove the shallots with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve the oil for another use.

Note: Cooked this way, shallots can be stored in a tightly covered jar on the kitchen shelf for up to one month.