Spicy Pork Offal Pho (Hot Pepper Noodle)

Name: Spicy Pork Offal Pho (Hot Pepper Noodle)
Ingredients: Broth: Pork leg bones, garlic, onion, seasonings, ground black pepper; Pork offal: Pork stomach, pork intestines, pork liver, lemongrass, ginger; 1.1 lbs pho noodles (about 0.5 kg), blanched to loosen; Green onions, finely chopped; Cilantro, finely chopped

Mai Ro @maihoanghp

Hà Nội

Traveling through different regions, I’ve picked up some great dishes. This one is inspired by the HOT PEPPER SOUP from a popular restaurant chain in Yangon. This is a homemade version, but it’s definitely worth trying at least once in your life. The broth is a spicy pork bone stock with a strong black pepper flavor, tender simmered pork offal, and a type of wide, flat rice noodle similar to our pho noodles, but thicker and rougher, topped with a bit of green onion. In Yangon, they use a type of green chili that’s not too spicy because it’s picked young, then blended with garlic and vinegar. Adding a bit of this chili vinegar to the noodles makes the broth even more flavorful. For this recipe, I use store-bought pho noodles, which have a similar taste.

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Ingredients

Broth: Pork leg bones, garlic, onion, seasonings, ground black pepper
Pork offal: Pork stomach, pork intestines, pork liver, lemongrass, ginger
1.1 lbspho noodles (about 0.5 kg), blanched to loosen
Green onions, finely chopped
Cilantro, finely chopped

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Steps

1

Broth:
- 2 pork leg bones, blanch in boiling water and rinse clean
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 small onions, peeled
- Salt/seasonings, ground black pepper
2

Pork offal:
- 1 pork stomach, turned inside out, scrubbed with vinegar and a little fish sauce, rinsed well, then turned right side out
- 1 section pork intestine (about 10.5 oz or 300 grams), thoroughly cleaned inside and out under running water
- 1 piece pork liver (about 14 oz or 400 grams), rinsed clean
- 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
- 1 piece ginger, smashed
3

Place the bones in a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pot, add water, bring to a boil uncovered, add garlic and onion, then reduce to the lowest heat.
4

In a small pot, add water and a few drops of vinegar, bring to a boil, add the liver (make sure it’s submerged), reduce to low heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the liver sit in the hot water to finish cooking gently. This keeps the liver tender and pale; remove it only when ready to serve.
5

Add the cleaned intestines and stomach to a pot with lemongrass and ginger, boil until just cooked, then transfer them to the broth pot to simmer with the bones. Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and season the broth to taste. Continue simmering for 45 minutes.
6

To serve, place pho noodles in a bowl, slice the liver, stomach, and intestines, and arrange on top. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro, ladle hot broth over everything, and serve immediately. The stomach should be tender but still a bit crunchy, the intestines rich and not chewy, the liver creamy, and the broth fragrant with black pepper.