I started this blog in part to learn how to prepare Vietnamese food that I couldn’t normally find. This dish, banh canh cua, and hu tieu are two that come to mind when I consider that. These dishes are not offered at every restaurant, not even in large Vietnamese American communities, simply because they are not widely consumed. Particularly for banh canh cua, one of the reasons is that it has a thick soup and big, chewy noodles, making it definitely an acquired taste. For many people, the texture can be off-putting in and of itself. Because of this, I personally didn’t enjoy it all that much when I was younger. But as I got older, it definitely grew on me. I decided to write a recipe for it because I now just wish I could find it in more places.
Crab noodle soup, or banh canh cua, is a thick tapioca broth-based soup that is served with banh canh (tapioca noodles) and topped with pork, shrimp, and crab. The broth is a vivid orange color and has a thick, sticky consistency. The really chewy tapioca noodles almost have the same texture as the broth. Traditional toppings for banh canh cua include minced green onions, pork, shrimp, and crab. But depending on the recipe you use, there are variations in every Vietnamese dish. Fish balls, blood cake, quail eggs, and even Chinese fried dough (Youtiao) have also been used as toppings.
The traditional toppings I’ve seen are listed below, but feel free to get creative with yours. Additionally, I’ve observed the use of blood cake, Chinese fried donuts, and fish balls.
Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup (Banh Canh)Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup is the most simplest and purest of all the Vietnamese noodle soups. In its simplest form, it’s thick noodles in a rich and savory pork broth. The only tricky thing with Banh Canh is keeping the darn slippery noodles on the spoon!
Compared to the widely known ph, the Vietnamese soup banh canh gi heo tom may be less well known, but its hearty flavor, springy tapioca noodles, and abundance of meat and shrimp make it just as delectable.
Bánh canh is a central Vietnamese dish that means “noodle soup” or “soup cake.” The term refers to the noodles’ flattened shape before they are cut into strings. It’s best not to give its English translation too much thought.
This dish may resemble ban b Hu in appearance, but it uses different noodles, is less spicily prepared, and is significantly heavier due to the addition of pork stock and thicker noodles.
It’s crucial to remember that this soup can be made in a variety of different ways, according to your preferences. A thick crab soup called bánh canh cua, for instance, is garnished with crab legs, shrimp, and other seafood.
Bánh canh has a chewy texture and, depending on the proportion of flour to water, can have a translucent appearance.
What Cut of Pork to Use
Pork hock is the best meat to use for this dish, but it can be difficult to find. Pork shoulder is the next-best cut because it has sinew running through it, which helps the meat soften. Leg roast is the one cut I would avoid because it can be very tough and dry.
A few tips when prepping the pork:
This dish’s soup base is very simple to prepare from scratch. It only requires combining the ingredients for the soup in a pot and simmering it until the pork is done. The soup is then strained, the seasoning is adjusted, and it is ready to serve.
Only be careful not to add the fish sauce too soon. To avoid boiling the fish sauce, which results in a slightly sour aftertaste, it should be added at the very end of the preparation.
The following ingredients will give your Vietnamese pork and thick noodle soup the most flavor: Don’t forget to add them to your soup!.
These particular noodles simply weren’t available when my mother first came to Australia in the 1980s, so she used to make them by hand. She had no tools to aid her, so it was a very laborious and lengthy process. Banh Canh Noodles are now easily accessible in many Asian grocery stores.
I prefer to use the Cong Thanh brand listed below; this is not a sponsored post. Use tapioca noodles, udon noodles, or any other noodles with “banh canh” on the label if you can’t find this. My Choice of Banh Canh Noodles.
It is crucial to prepare the noodles correctly to prevent them from breaking apart and becoming mush. Here are some guidelines to help you get the best outcomes:
- The first alternative is to add the noodles to the soup pot and heat them through right before serving. Ladle them into your bowls and serve when they’re done. Keep in mind that if you leave them in the soup for too long, a lot of the liquid will be absorbed. In order to prevent the noodles from absorbing all the soup and becoming mushy and bloated, you should also strain any leftover noodles that won’t be served that day. I typically store them in a plastic bag to eat the following day.
- The second choice, which is advised, is to divide the noodles into bowls after soaking them in boiling water, and then to top them with the boiling noodle soup. The advantage of doing this is that you will only use what you need, but the noodles won’t have as much flavor.
If you can find them, the following extra ingredients will make your noodle soup better:
FAQ
How do you cook pre packaged udon noodles?
Udon noodles are prepared by adding them to boiling water and bringing it back to a boil. Stir the noodles, fill the pot with more cold water, and bring the mixture back to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook noodles until tender. Drain noodles and run under cold water.
How do you cook Banh Canh noodles from the package?
Put the noodles in a pot and heat the water until it boils to separate them for Banh Canh. Your broth ought to be prepared prior to the completion of the noodle cooking. Place cooked noodles in bowl and pour broth over. They become more sticky the longer they are in the air.
How long do I boil udon noodles?
Before testing, boil the udon for 8 to 9 minutes if it’s semi-dried; for 10 to 12 minutes if it’s dried. Test it by taking a noodle out of the pot, submerging it in cold water, and biting it. The exterior of the noodle should be slick but not overly soft, and the interior should be soft with no hard center.
How do you cook udon instant noodles?
Boil the water in a pot. Put the noodles and the soup base (dark brown sauce in a packet) in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil further about 2 minutes. Add the dried vegetables (from the last packet) to the serving bowl with the noodles and soup.