Bún Riêu

Ingredients

Broth

• 6–7 lbs pork ribs or bones

• 1 cup dried shrimp

• 2 tbsp rock sugar

• 4 cubes bún riêu seasoning

• 5 tbsp fish sauce

Crab Meatballs

• 1.5 lbs crab meat

• ¾ lb shrimp, chopped into a paste

• ¾ lb ground pork

• 4 eggs

• 3 jars crab paste (drain and reserve the oil)

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp chicken powder

Tomato & Tofu Mix

• Reserved crab paste oil

• 3 tbsp minced garlic

• 1 minced shallot

• 2 onions, sliced

• 4 Roma tomatoes, wedged

• 2 packs fried tofu

• 1 tbsp sugar

• ½ tbsp chicken powder

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

Toppings (Optional but highly recommended)

Bean sprouts, banana blossom, water spinach, lettuce, cilantro, green onions, perilla, mint, limes, shrimp paste, chili oil

Instructions

1. Parboil the pork bones
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt and a splash of Shaoxing wine. Parboil the bones for 15–20 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water.

2. Build the broth
Return the cleaned bones to a large pot and fill with water (about ¾ full). Add dried shrimp, rock sugar, seasoning cubes, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.

3. Make the crab meatballs
In a bowl, gently combine crab meat, shrimp paste, ground pork, eggs, drained crab paste, black pepper, and chicken powder. Don’t overmix—keep it light to maintain texture. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up.

4. Sauté the tomato and tofu
In a pan, heat the reserved crab paste oil. Sauté garlic, shallots, onions, tomatoes, and tofu. Add sugar, chicken powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until the tofu soaks up the flavor.

5. Finish the soup
Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Carefully drop in the crab meatballs. Once they float, add the tomato and tofu mix. Simmer for another 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

To Serve

Ladle the soup over cooked vermicelli noodles and top with your favorite herbs, veggies, and sauces. Don’t forget the chili oil.

Credits to Minh Tran for this amazing recipe

Check him out on Instagram @tizzlecooks