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Hanoi fish noodle soup has long been renowned for its rich flavors in Vietnamese cuisine. It's not just a delicate combination of soft, chewy noodles and flavorful broth, but also a cultural heritage of the capital city. Let's explore the recipe for authentic Hanoi fish noodle soup shared by Mytour Blog below to indulge in the rich flavors of this traditional dish right at home!
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Tips for selecting fresh ingredients for fish noodle soup
Check out some secrets to choosing fresh ingredients below!
- Carp: Opt for live ones with firm flesh, harmonious color, no torn or scaled skin. Especially those with reddish gills, round belly, and sturdy head ensure sweet, fatty, and fragrant meat.
- Marrow Bones: A crucial ingredient for making broth for fish noodle soup. Choose bones with bright color, no foul or stale smell, medium size, about 2 – 3 finger joints, avoiding overly large or small ones.
- Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes with full, red skins, no damage or cracks. Also, check the stem part of the tomatoes to see if it's firmly attached to the fruit.
- Vermicelli: Choose vermicelli made from clean rice, fibers with ivory or slightly gray color to avoid selecting vermicelli with an artificial sheen and bleaching agents.
Guide to selecting fresh ingredients for fish noodle soup (Source: Internet)Essential tools for making Hanoi fish noodle soup
To prepare fish noodle soup, you'll need the following tools:
- Pot: Use a large pot to cook the broth for fish noodle soup. The pot should have a thick bottom, wide mouth, and a lid to retain heat and flavor of the broth.
- Pan: Used for frying fish, tofu, and fish cakes. The pan should have a non-stick bottom, suitable for use on induction or gas stoves. Also, prepare a piece of mesh or absorbent paper to drain the oil after frying.
- Spoon: Use a large spoon for stirring the broth, a small spoon for scooping spices, and a ladle for removing fish and fish cakes from the pan.
- Knife: Use a sharp knife for cutting fish, bones, tomatoes, dried onions, and other ingredients.
- Cutting Board: Use for slicing and chopping ingredients. The cutting board should be made of wood or plastic, not metal or glass as it will dull the knife and make cutting difficult.
- Bowl: Use a small bowl to hold spices, spring onions, herbs, and raw vegetables. Additionally, you can prepare a large bowl to hold noodles, fish, fish cakes, and broth when serving.
- Plate: Use to hold fish, fish cakes, and other ingredients after frying or use plates to accompany the noodle bowl.
- Colander: Use to soak and wash rice noodles. The colander should have small holes to prevent noodles from falling out.
How to prepare fish noodle soup
After preparing the ingredients and necessary tools, let's explore how to cook Hanoi fish noodle soup step by step as follows:
Simmering bones for flavorful broth
- Separate the fish meat and bones into two separate parts. Reserve the meat for frying later, while the bones will be used to make the broth.
- Next, use prepared marrow bones or rib bones to cook the broth for fish noodle soup. Blanch the pork bones in boiling water for about 2 minutes to remove blood and impurities, then rinse them thoroughly with cold water.
- Then, blanch the fish heads and bones in boiling water for about 1 minute to remove foam and fishy odor. Afterward, rinse the fish heads and bones with cold water.
- Finally, add 1.3 – 1.5 liters of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Then, add the pork bones, fish heads, and bones to the pot and simmer over low heat for about 30 – 40 minutes until the broth is sweet and fragrant.
Simmering bones to make broth (Source: Internet)Preparing the fish
- Cut the carp meat into bite-sized pieces, about 2 – 2.5 cm. Hold the knife at a 30 – 45 degree angle for beautiful and easy frying.
- Cut the tomatoes into small wedges, similar to cherry tomatoes.
- Chop the shallots and raw vegetables to serve with the fish noodle soup. You can choose raw vegetables according to your preference such as water spinach, sweet potato leaves, lettuce, coriander...
- Separate the stalk and leaf parts of the spring onion. Split the stalk into four pieces and soak in water to make them curly and crunchy. Thinly slice the leaves to sprinkle on top of the noodles.
- Cut the herbs into short segments, about 3 – 4 cm long. Leave the mint and perilla leaves intact, no need to cut or chop. These herbs will enhance the visual appeal and rich flavor of the fish noodle soup.
- Next, divide the young tofu into small pieces, roughly the size of a thumb.
Preparing the fish portion (Source: Internet)Marinating the fish
To ensure crispy and intact fried carp, add a little fresh lemon juice to the cut fish pieces. Then, dissolve 1/2 tablespoon of shrimp paste, 1 tablespoon of MSG, and 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder in a bit of water and mix well with the fish. Let the fish marinate for about 15 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavors thoroughly.
Marinating the fish to absorb flavors (Source: Internet)Preparing other ingredients
Heat the oil in a pan until it boils, then fry the diced young tofu. Fry until the tofu turns golden and crispy, then remove and drain excess oil.
Coat the marinated fish in crispy frying flour until evenly coated. Add some oil to the pan, wait for the oil to heat up, then fry the fish until golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain excess oil.
Frying tofu for fish noodle soup (Source: Internet)Preparing the broth
To make fragrant broth, we'll need to sauté the shallots until fragrant, then add tomatoes and a bit of turmeric powder and stir gently until the tomatoes are soft and thickened. Next, remove the fish bones, fish heads, and pork bones from the broth. Then, add the tomato mixture, shallots to the pot, and season with salt, MSG, and lime juice to taste.
Finished Product
To present a delicious and visually appealing bowl of fish noodle soup, simply place the noodles in a bowl, then add tofu and crispy golden fried fish along with various raw vegetables. Finally, pour hot broth into the bowl of noodles to enjoy the unique flavor of this dish!
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Deliciously Fragrant Fish Noodle Soup Finished Product (Source: Internet)Following the instructions on how to cook Hanoi-style fish noodle soup shared by Mytour above, hopefully, you've gained useful reference information to prepare this delicious dish at home and enjoy warm moments with your family with this delicacy!
