Thursday, March 28, 2024

Bun rieu cua tom oc recipe


From Wandering Chopsticks



As I said, Bun Rieu Cua Tom Oc (Vietnamese Crab and Shrimp Paste Rice Vermicelli Noodle Soup with Snails) was the beginning of a furious week of cooking. Bun rieu is one of my favorite Vietnamese soups. It’s also the most laborious on account of shelling the crab. It’s also one of the most expensive meals I’ve made as I spent about $30 on ingredients. Ironically, it wasn’t the fresh crab that was so expensive as I went with the cheaper rock crab that are usually $1.99/lb at the San Gabriel Superstore. The tomatoes, especially out of season, were almost the same price as the crab. But a proper bowl of bun rieu cua tom oc also includes a pound of shrimp, periwinkles, curled rau muong (Vietnamese water spinach) stems, sliced banana blossoms, pork spare ribs, fried tofu, and more. Yes, there are a lot of components to bun rieu, but made properly, it will also be one of the most satisfying of Vietnamese soups.







Bun Rieu Cua Tom Oc




Bun Rieu Cua Tom Oc. Photo from Wandering Chopsticks.


As with a lot of my cooking, I had a craaaaving. A craving in which I knew I would not be satisfied with a restaurant version of bun rieu. This is not a recipe I would have attempted until now. One of the benefits of blogging is that I recall flavors of dishes much better than I have in the past. Before, I would have been satisfied thinking something was “good” or “good enough.” These days, I find myself picking apart the flavors and textures and ingredients of favored dishes. Am I turning into my momma? Ack!


Unfortunately, bun rieu is one of those soups with which people often take short cuts. Every recipe I stumbled across online used canned crab paste. I used to think my second-youngest uncle’s wife’s bun rieu was great. And while it still is, I was disilllusioned when I saw her open a can of bun rieu crab paste. *Sniffle.* Even a consultation with my favored “Secrets of the Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese Recipes from the Heart” cookbook turned up the use of canned crab paste. Nooo!!!


No canned crab paste for me! I was on my own with this one.


I don’t remember my mom making bun rieu often when I was growing up. Nonetheless, no adventurous recipe tackle can be started without a quick consultation with my momma. I remembered Noodlepie’s photo of a “rieu” that was in one big piece, the traditional way that it’s supposed to be made. The “rieu” is only broken when serving. Instead of one big piece, my mom prefers to spoon out small balls of the crab and shrimp paste actually. Ssshh! And when crabs are too expensive, she uses canned bun rieu crab paste too.


Mom asked me how I planned to make the broth.


Strained crab and shrimp shells. Pork spare ribs.


What about the “rieu”?


Crab, shrimp, pork, and eggs to bind them together.


Well, then, seemed like I knew what I was doing, she said. And that was that.


As I said, there are a lot of components to bun rieu. I’ve handily labeled all the key parts for you below. Make a list when you go grocery shopping. You’ll need it.


I made a 7-quart pot and then some. Invited my brother and his wife over for dinner. My brother’s usual “compliment” is none at all and when pressed, once said: “I’m eating it, aren’t I?”


But that evening, they both slurped every last bit of the broth. Brother asked me how many times I had attempted bun rieu before.


First time!


He was amazed. And when I offered to pack some to-go for both of them, they leapt at the chance. His wife was quite excited, and well, the only other food I can remember her getting excited about was my chicken liver pate.


I still had plenty left over for the next day so I invited Tony of Sinosoul and his better half, and Gourmet Pigs and her friend. Despite groaning about how full he was, Tony still ate five bowls.


Umm, you could have stopped when you hit full, instead of eating until bursting, I said.


But Tony replied that he knew he couldn’t get this kind of bun rieu in a restaurant and was afraid I would never make it again.


Haha!


Amused by the absurdity, I retold the story to Gourmet Pigs, who urged, “You’re going to make it again. Right? Right?”


And then her friend hopped onto her chat to thank me again for the bun rieu.


Later, I told my momma all the stories – about how my brother and his wife slurped every last bit of broth, about how Tony ate five bowls, and about how Gourmet Pigs asked if I’ll make bun rieu again. Despite vaguely knowing about my blog for the past several years (my oldest uncle stumbled upon it one day and told my parents), my mom hadn’t really bothered to read it. Until now. What can I say? Bun rieu has magical powers.


(Hi, mommy! I don’t really eat as much as it looks like! I feed lots of other people with my cooking and the going out pictures are of other people’s food too! My blog isn’t real-time! I know that’s not the way you do things, but I cook differently and other people seem to like it just fine. I promise to exercise more and eat less! I’m watching out for lil’ sis! I feed brother and his wife too! I know you love me, but it doesn’t help me find a husband or give you grandchildren any sooner when you nag. 😛 I love you!)


😉

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!!!!!

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