Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with Pork Hock (Banh canh gio heo)
Let’s make Bánh canh giò heo! This Vietnamese thick noodle soup with pork hock is another interesting dish enjoyed by many Vietnamese people. You can find this noodle soup everywhere across Vietnam. It’s simple to make at home, yet so tasty!
Table of Contents
Ingredients of Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with Pork hock
Bánh canh giò heo is one of the many variations of Vietnamese thick noodle soup. The main difference between each variation lies in the broth and the protein used. For example, in Crab Thick Noodle Soup, crab is the primary ingredient for making the broth and is one of the main components alongside the thick noodles. Similarly, in Thick Noodle Soup with pork hock, the pork hock is the heart of the dish, accompanied by thick noodles, vegetables, and other toppings like boiled quail eggs, blood tofu, and more.
Therefore, the main ingredients for Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with pork hock, serving 6 people, include:
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) fresh Vietnamese thick noodle
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork hock
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork bone
- 3 L (0.8 gallon) water
- 300 g (10.6 oz) carrot
- 300 g (10.6 oz) daikon radish
- 20 g (0.7 oz) dried shrimp (optional)
- A dozen quail eggs
- Other toppings (optional): blood tofu, shrimp, etc.
- Vegetables: bean sprouts, lettuce, spring onion, cilantro, etc.
The pork hock is the most essential ingredient in this dish. Choose pork hock that is white, firm, and very fresh. Additionally, pork bones, carrots, daikon radish, and dried shrimp will make the broth richer and more flavorful, though you can adjust the quantities based on availability.
For the noodles, you can use dried thick noodles by boiling them, or you can make fresh thick noodles at home. Additionally, you can substitute udon noodles if you can’t find Vietnamese thick noodles.
Cooking Instructions
Step 1. Preparation
- Pig Trotter & Pork Bones: Clean thoroughly with water. Rub salt over each piece of pig trotter and rinse again, then blanch and rinse once more to remove any odor. You can also rinse them with cooking wine (if available) to eliminate any smell.
- Carrot & Daikon: Peel, wash, and cut into pieces.
Step 2. Cooking the Pig Trotter & Broth
- In a large pot (regular pot, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot), add the pig trotter, pork bones, carrot, daikon, and dried shrimp. Add enough water to fully cover all ingredients, then simmer until the pig trotter is tender. If using a regular pot, this may take up to 3 hours. For a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, the time reduces significantly to around 1–1.5 hours.
- After simmering, remove all ingredients and add more water if needed. Season with salt, seasoning powder, fish sauce, etc., to taste.
Step 3. Prepare Other Toppings
- If you have other toppings like shrimp, quail eggs, pork liver, etc., cook them as needed. Peel the quail eggs and shrimp, then set aside.
Step 4. Cook the thick noodles
- If using dried bánh canh noodles, cook them until soft. If using udon noodles as a substitute, soak them in water to reduce any sourness, then blanch them in boiling water. Alternatively, you can make Vietnamese thick noodles from scratch following this recipe.
Step 5. Serving
- Once all ingredients are ready, assemble them in a bowl. Start with the noodles, then add the pig trotter, quail eggs, shrimp, pork liver, and fresh vegetables such as lettuce and bean sprouts. Finally, ladle the broth over everything and garnish your bowl of bánh canh with chopped spring onions and cilantro.
Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with Pork Hock (Banh canh gio heo)
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh Vietnamese thick noodle 2.2 lbs
- 1 kg pork hock 2.2 lbs
- 1 kg pork bone 2.2 lbs
- 3 L water 0.8 gallons
- 300 g carrot 10.6 oz
- 300 g daikon radish 10.6 oz
- 20 g dried shrimp (optional) 0.7 oz
- 12 quail eggs
- Other toppings: blood tofu, shrimp, etc. optional
- Vegetables: bean sprouts, lettuce, spring onion, cilantro, etc.
Instructions
Step 1. Preparation
- Pig Trotter & Pork Bones: Clean thoroughly with water. Rub salt over each piece of pig trotter and rinse again, then blanch and rinse once more to remove any odor. You can also rinse them with cooking wine (if available) to eliminate any smell.
- Carrot & Daikon: Peel, wash, and cut into pieces.
Step 2. Cooking the Pig Trotter & Broth
- In a large pot (regular pot, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot), add the pig trotter, pork bones, carrot, daikon, and dried shrimp. Add enough water to fully cover all ingredients, then simmer until the pig trotter is tender. If using a regular pot, this may take up to 3 hours. For a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, the time reduces significantly to around 1–1.5 hours.
- After simmering, remove all ingredients and add more water if needed. Season with salt, seasoning powder, fish sauce, etc., to taste.
Step 3. Prepare Other Toppings
- If you have other toppings like shrimp, quail eggs, pork liver, etc., cook them as needed. Peel the quail eggs and shrimp, then set aside.
Step 4. Cook the thick noodles
- If using dried bánh canh noodles, cook them until soft. If using udon noodles as a substitute, soak them in water to reduce any sourness, then blanch them in boiling water. Alternatively, you can make Vietnamese thick noodles from scratch.
Step 5. Serving
- Once all ingredients are ready, assemble them in a bowl. Start with the noodles, then add the pig trotter, quail eggs, shrimp, pork liver, and fresh vegetables such as lettuce and bean sprouts. Finally, ladle the broth over everything and garnish your bowl of bánh canh with chopped spring onions and cilantro.
Nutrition
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Other Vietnamese Noodle Soup
- Vietnamese Duck Noodle Soup
- Vietnamese Fermented Fish Noodle Soup (Bun Mam)
- Vietnamese Crab Thick Noodle (Banh Canh Cua)
- Vietnamese Beef Pho (Bun Bo)
- Vietnamese Squid Rice Noodle (Hu tieu muc)
- Vietnamese Beef Noodle
- Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup
- Vietnamese Pork and Seafood Noodle Soup (Hu tieu Nam Vang)