serves
8
prep
15 minutes
cook
2:10 hours
difficulty
Mid
serves
8
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
2:10
hours
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8–10 serves fresh thin egg noodles (each bundle is one serve)
- 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) garlic oil
- 300 g (101/2 oz) barbecued pork (purchased from Chinese barbecue shops), sliced
- 1 bunch Chinese celery, leaves roughly chopped, to garnish
Broth
- 5 kg (11 lb) chicken bones
- 1 daikon (white radish)
- 2 brown onions, peeled
- 1 garlic bulb, halved
- 60 g (2 oz) sea salt
- 150 g (5½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) fish sauce
Sui cao
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) green prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined
- 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
- 50 g (1¾ oz) wood ear mushrooms, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced pinch of ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
- 200 g (7 oz) packet wonton wrappers
To serve
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) bean sprouts
- 4 long red chillies, sliced
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- soy sauce
Instructions
1. To make the broth, rinse the chicken bones to remove any blood or splinters. Transfer the bones to a large stockpot and cover with 8 litres (2 gallons) cold water. Bring to the boil, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface. Add the daikon, onion and garlic, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the sui cao. Using a knife, roughly mash the prawn meat. Transfer to a large bowl and add the spring onion, wood ear mushroom, shallot, garlic and white pepper. Mix well and season with the fish sauce and sugar.
3. To wrap the sui cao, place 1 teaspoon of the prawn mixture in the centre of a wonton skin. Moisten the edges with a little water and fold diagonally in half into a triangle. Push out any air that may be trapped in the dumpling. Dab the corners with a little more water, then bring the corners round to meet each other and firmly seal. Repeat until you’ve used all the filling and wonton wrappers.
4. When the broth is ready, season with the salt, sugar and fish sauce. Strain into a clean saucepan and discard the solids. Keep warm over low heat.
5. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add the sui cao in small batches and cook for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked dumplings to a plate and lightly drizzle with the vegetable oil to prevent them sticking.
6. In the same pan of boiling water, cook one roll of noodles at a time. Using tongs, move the noodles around to release the starch. Remove after 1 minute and run under cold water, then return to the boiling water for 15 seconds, strain again and transfer to a serving bowl. Lightly drizzle with garlic oil, then repeat with the remaining noodles and garlic oil.
7. Assemble the barbecued pork and sui cao on top of the noodles. Ladle over the broth and garnish with the celery leaves. Serve with the bean sprouts, sliced chilli, lemon wedges and soy sauce on the table for guests to help themselves.
Recipe from Street Food Vietnam by Jerry Mai, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
