Bún bò Huế

History

Bún bò hails from the city of Huế in central Vietnam in the late 1500s and early 1600s, when the city was ruled by the Nguyễn lords. This city, once the capital of Vietnam, has a rich culinary legacy linked to the former royal court of Annam. Beyond its hometown and certain areas in central Vietnam, the dish is often labeled bún bò Huế to indicate its place of origin and to differentiate it from bún bò found in Saigon (south) and Hanoi (north).

This classic dish is celebrated for its harmonious blend of spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and umami tastes. The scent of lemongrass prominently features. However, in other major Vietnamese cities, it can be found at various meal times.

Features

Outside the city of Huế, it is called bún bò Huế to denote its origin. Within Huế and surrounding cities, it is known simply as bún bò. The broth is prepared by simmering beef bones and beef shank with lemongrass, and then seasoned with fermented shrimp sauce and sugar for taste. Spicy chili oil is added later during the cooking process.

Bún bò usually includes thin slices of marinated and boiled beef shank, chunks of oxtail, and pork knuckles.

Bún bò is commonly served with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, diced green onions, raw sliced onions, chili sauce, thinly sliced banana blossom, red cabbage, mint, basil, perilla, Persicaria odorata or Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), saw tooth herb (ngò gai) and sometimes mung bean sprouts. Thinly sliced purple cabbage is sometimes used as a substitute when banana blossoms are not available. Purple cabbage most resembles banana blossom in texture, though not in taste. Fish sauce and shrimp paste are added to the soup according to taste. Ingredients might be varied by region due to their availability.

File:Bún bò huê - Dakao Hoang.jpg|This version of bún bò Huế includes rice vermicelli, beef brisket, pork leg, pig blood curd, and other ingredients. File:Bún bò huê close-up - Dakao Hoang.jpg|Close-up of the same dish File:Pot of Bun Bo Hue.jpg|A pot of bún bò broth with rice noodles being cooked separately at a Ho Chi Minh City eatery Bún bò Huế - Chợ Đông Ba (2024) - img 05.jpg|A lady preparing bún bò Huế at Dong Ba Market, Huế

References

References

1. Nhukhanh. (October 12, 2022). "Bún bò Huế - Hương vị không thể nào quên khi đặt chân đến vùng đất Cố đô".
2. The dish originates from [[Huế]], a city in central Vietnam associated with the cooking style of the former royal court.[[Thanh Nien Weekly]] 2 Dec 2011 print edition [http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/pages/20111201-eating-hue-foods-as-locals.aspx When in Hue] {{Webarchive. link. (2019-10-17 "The most popular Hue dish would have to be bún bò Huế, a spicy beef and vermicelli soup that goes down well with Vietnamese people and foreigners alike.")
3. dulich.vn. "Những món đặc sản nhất định phải thử khi đến Huế".
4. "Bún bò Nam Bộ ngon khó cưỡng cho những ngày ngán cơm".
5. VnExpress. "Khác biệt của bún bò ở Huế và Hà Nội".
6. thanhnien.vn. (2020-11-16). "Quán bún bò Huế 30 năm không bao giờ đóng cửa níu chân người Sài Gòn".
7. ''[[Thanh Nien Weekly]]'', December 2, 2011, print edition [http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/pages/20111201-eating-hue-foods-as-locals.aspx When in Hue] {{Webarchive. link. (2019-10-17 . "Among the most beloved dishes from Hue is bún bò Huế, a spicy beef and vermicelli soup cherished by both Vietnamese and foreigners alike.")
8. "Người hiếm hoi còn làm bánh bông cây ở Huế dịp Tết".
9. thanhnien.vn. (2019-10-11). "'Giải mã' bún bò Huế ở Sài Gòn ăn có ngon hơn bún bò ở Huế?".
10. ONLINE, TUOI TRE. (2016-08-08). "Muốn ăn bún Huế đúng điệu thì phải vào Sài Gòn?".
11. tư, Tạp chí Kinh tế và Dự báo-Bộ Kế hoạch và Đầu. "Những món ăn đường phố nên ăn khi đến Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh".
12. thanhnien.vn. (2019-10-29). "Mỹ chỉ có phở ngon; còn bún bò Huế không thể bằng ở Việt Nam, vì sao?".
13. ONLINE, TUOI TRE. (2022-08-03). "Sáng ra làm tô bún bò Huế dồi sụn, no tới trưa!".
14. thanhnien.vn. (2022-03-30). "Quán bún bò 'đông nhất' Q.3 TP.HCM: Anh chủ bỏ việc ngân hàng, bán đúng 2 tiếng".
15. "BÍ QUYẾT TẠO LÊN MÓN BÚN BÒ CHUẨN HUẾ".
16. Andrea Nguyen ''Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors'' Ten Speed Press 2006 {{ISBN. 978-1580086653 p10 "people from the central region will at first demur and then counter that ''bún bò Huế'', a chile-and-lemongrass-seasoned beef and rice noodle soup from the former imperial capital, is equally good" full recipe p212-214
17. Danh, Cathy, "[https://books.google.com/books?id=iDEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT55 Hot and Happening]", ''Outlook Traveller'', p. 89, Mar 2008.
18. Aruna Thaker, Arlene Barton ''Multicultural Handbook of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics'' 2012 Page 171 "Bún bò Huế" p408 "Bún bò - Spicy beef noodle soup originated in the royal city of Hue in central Vietnam. Beef bones, fermented shrimp paste, lemongrass and dried chilies give the broth its distinctive flavour. Often served with mint leaves, ... "