Nui Thịt Bằm, Pork Macaroni Soup

Ingredients

• Minced pork, 2/3 of a pack (any mince works)
• Chicken powder, white pepper, fish sauce for the pork
• Spring onion whites, finely sliced
• Shallots, finely sliced
• Ginger and garlic, minced
• Water, to fill the pot
• 1 whole shallot, peeled
• 2 carrots: 1 peeled and sliced, 1 roughly chopped
• Daikon, in chunks
• Sugar, chicken powder, fish sauce, to taste
• Vietnamese rice macaroni (normal pasta works)
• Garnish: spring onion greens, lots of white pepper
• Optional: crispy fried shallots, lemon, a little chilli oil

Method

1. Season the pork with chicken powder, white pepper and fish sauce. Mix in the spring onion whites, shallots, ginger and garlic.
2. Put the pork in a cold pot with no oil, it cooks in its own fat. Turn up to medium high. Once it browns on the bottom, break it up.
3. Fill the pot to the top with water. Add the whole shallot and the chopped carrot for sweetness.
4. Skim off the scum as the broth heats up.
5. For the last 20 minutes, add the daikon and sliced carrot. Season to taste with sugar, chicken powder and fish sauce.
6. Cook the macaroni separately, then rinse off the starch with cold water.
7. Macaroni in the bowl, ladle over the broth, pork and veg. Top with spring onion greens and pepper. Street vendor style: add fried shallots, lemon and chilli oil.

Notes

Jenny Nguyen. Jenny's feel better soup, eaten three times a week growing up. Video gives no amounts beyond 2/3 pack of mince and 2 carrots.