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Mother of Perpetual Help Parish
2121 W. Apollo Road
Garland TX  75044

Serves Four

INGREDIENTS:

• 10½ oz (300 g) rice vermicelli

Soup Base:

• 12 cups beef or pork stock (see Directions for Beef or Pork Soup Stock below)
• 8 oz (230 g) pork ham hock (gio heo)
• 8 oz (230 g) beef brisket (thit bo uc)
• 4 oz (120 g) pineapple slices (thom)
• ½ cup fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 stalk lemon grass or more (1 hay vai nhanh xa)
• ½ teaspoon fine shrimp sauce (mam tom)

Spicy Chili Sauce:

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon grass, chopped (xa bam nho)
• 1 teaspoon paprika (Paprika is a spice made from the grinding of dried fruits of bell peppers or chili peppers and is used to add color to dishes.  People also use Annatto Seeds or Hot Dieu Mau to add color to dishes.)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped (toi bam nho)
• 1 teaspoon chili paste (tuong ot)
• ½ teaspoon chili powder (ot bot)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare soup stock.  In a pot, heat Soup Base ingredients to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, skimming fat that floats.
2. Combine Spicy Chili Sauce ingredients.
3. Add Spicy Chili Sauce to pot.  Simmer for another 15 minutes.  Remove meats and slice.  Strain stock.  You can add cubed pig's blood (huyet heo) to the soup if you like.
4. While cooking soup, cook rice vermicelli in boiling water, and drain.  Place it in a soup dish.  Place meats as topping.  Pour over soup and garnish with Cha Lua, lime wedges, red cabbage, bean sprouts, and Asian herbs (chopped cilantro and green onion, Thai basil leaves, sliced peppers, bap chuoi, etc.)

Basic Beef or Pork Soup Stock – Makes about 12 cups:

·         4½ lbs (2 kg) beef bone or pork spareribs

·         12½ cups water

1. Trim off excess fat from beef bones or pork ribs.
2. In a large saucepan, put bones or ribs with water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Skim off the froth, scum or fat while simmering.
3. Discard bones or ribs.  Let it cool, then keep in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.  Remove hardened fat off from the surface.