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The crab cake in the crab noodle soup boasts a more intricate blend of ingredients than the crab cake in beef noodle soup, as it is the 'soul' of the dish.
Exquisite Crab Noodle Soup from Hue
With rich flavors, the culinary scene in Hue always leaves a lasting impression on tourists. Alongside the famous Hue beef noodle soup, crab noodle soup is also a beloved dish among both tourists and locals. Strolling around the ancient capital, tourists can easily find numerous places selling crab noodle soup, ranging from large establishments to street vendors. These crab noodle soup spots may have decades of history or just a few years, but each place has its own unique flavor.
For the people of Hue, this dish is often enjoyed for breakfast and is also an enticing evening dish. The noodle strands are made from the finest, best-selected rice grains. The vendor kneads the dry dough with warm water to form a pliable dough, rolls it out, and then cuts it into small strands about 10-12 cm long and 1 cm thick. Because of the handmade process, the noodle strands are very soft, fragrant, and not sour like industrially-made dough.
The crab noodle soup broth is not heavy, sweet but light. The crab is simmered for about 2 hours, and then the vendor seasons it with various spices. When the broth reaches the 'standard' level, the vendor adds the noodle strands to cook, and also sprinkles a bit of rice flour into the broth to create thickness. Once the dough is cooked, the vendor starts making crab cakes and adds them to the pot. These crab cakes have a distinctive and fragrant aroma, with a chewy texture. They are made from minced crab meat, pork skin, and shrimp. According to Mrs. Bướm, who has been selling for 20 years, crab cakes in crab noodle soup require a more intricate blend of ingredients to make them delicious and fragrant, as they are the 'soul' of the dish. On the other hand, with Hue beef noodle soup, crab cakes only contribute to the embellishment and are usually made from pork skin and crab meat.
After the customer places an order, the savvy vendor skillfully scoops the crab noodle soup into a bowl. With a large ladle, the seller swiftly glides around the pot, capturing the perfect combination of noodles, broth, crab meat, and quail eggs. It looks simple, but only those with expertise can perform this task quickly and gracefully. Without finesse, the long strands of noodle can easily fall back into the pot, leaving only the broth, and excessive stirring may cause the noodles to break.
Then those nimble hands quickly sprinkle a topping of lard, red chili, fresh scallions, and a dash of pepper on the bowl of crab noodle soup, enhancing its flavor. The bowl of piping hot crab noodle soup, emitting steam, is delightful with the aroma of scallions blending with the rich taste of the broth. Taking a spoonful, diners will experience the sweet and savory taste, the chewiness of the crab meat, and the joy as the soft noodles glide down their throat. When mentioning Hue cuisine, one cannot forget the spiciness from the chili, so diners enjoy their meal while delightfully savoring the heat.
Crab noodle soup is one of the must-try dishes when traveling to Hue. Each bowl of crab noodle soup in Hue costs from 10,000 to 20,000 VND. The warm taste of crab noodle soup in the ancient capital leaves a lasting impression on many travelers. 'Sitting on the sidewalk and in front of me is a gigantic bowl of crab noodle soup that satisfies me. The soft and chewy noodle strands, accompanied by eggs, pork sausage, and crab, are plentiful and affordable,' shared Ms. Phan, a traveler from Da Nang.
Some suggested addresses:
– Crab noodle soup at Bướm under Gia Hoi Bridge, Hue City
– Crab noodle soup on Nguyen Khuyen Street (opposite the Salvation Church), Hue City
