Clear Rice Noodle Soup (Hu Tieu) in Vietnam

Clear Rice Noodle Soup (Hu Tieu) in Vietnam

Clear Rice Noodle Soup or Hu Tieu firstly existed in South China, then spread through all China and South East Asia such as South Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore… Hu Tieu has developed very fast in South Vietnam since the 1950s, especially in Saigon (HCMC). It is easy to find a Hu Tieu store on the street or a Hu Tieu cart at an alley. It is possible to say that Hu Tieu is an especial dish here, similar to Pho in Hanoi. Hu Tieu is usually eaten in the morning or in the evening.

The main ingredients of Hu Tieu Noodle Soup are Hu Tieu noodle, pork bone, bean sprouts, green onions, deep-fried onion and others. The noodle is made from rice flour and tapioca flour. The noodle is dry because people cut sun-dried Hu Tieu rice paper into noodles. Before being served, the dried noodle is soft boiled. The broth is very clear, smelling and flavorful. To serve, the noodle is put into the bowl before the broth is poured onto it. Lime slices, chopped chili, herbs and bean sprouts and saute are served with the bowl of Hu Tieu. You have to use a spoon and chopsticks to eat this delicious dish. It’s similar to eating a Pho or Bun Bo Hue.

There are many Hu Tieu receipts in Vietnam and all is delicious. Firstly I’d like to introduce you the simplest Hu Tieu receipt – Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Pork Chop. The broth is cooked from pork bone and pork chop. Pork chop, deep-fried onion, chopped green onion, coriander are used as toppings. The chop can be dipped in fish sauce before eating.

Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Pork Chop – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Nam Young Clear Rice Noodle Soup is very popular in Ho Chi Minh city. This food originated in Cambodia, but when it comes to Vietnam, it has been changed a little to meet the Vietnamese taste. The highlight of this Hu Tieu is that the broth is cooked from pork bone and ground pork. Toppings are like My Tho Hu Tieu and could be pork organs.

Nam Young Clear Rice Noodle Soup – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Pho with Beef Ball is popular for its great taste. Hu Tieu with Beef Ball is also delicious that it becomes favorite dishes of many people, especially in Saigon. The touch beef ball is usually eaten with a mix of fermented soybean paste and chili sauce.

Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Meat Ball – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Vietnamese Stewed Beef is cooked from beef, carrot and many spices such as cinnamon, star aniseed, black pepper and red chili powder. It’s eaten with Banh Mi or Hu Tieu noodle. Hu Tieu with Vietnamese Stewed Beef is a favorite dishes in South Vietnam. I’d like to recommend you to try this food on your trip to Saigon.

Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Vietnamese Stewed Beef – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Another simple Hu Tieu, which is usually sold at street food stalls with cheap price in Vietnam is Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Pork Slices. The toppings are only pork slices, chopped green onion and deep-fried onion. The simple but the the delicious one.

Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Pork – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

If you don’t like to eat a noodle soup, let’s try a Mixed Clear Rice Noodle with Crab and Shrimp. It’s not less delicious than any Italian pasta.

Mixed Clear Rice Noodle with Seafood – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Dry Clear Rice Noodle is served without the broth covered noodles and toppings. The broth is served in a small bowl. To eat, dinner mix noodles and toppings well with a delicious sauce.

Dry Clear Rice Noodle Soup with special sauce and broth is served in another bowl – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Dry Clear Rice Noodle Soup with special sauce and broth is served in another bowl – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Beef Ball – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

My Tho Clear Rice Noodle Soup originated in My Tho city, Tien Giang province, Mekong Delta. This food is very famous in Mekong Delta so that if you have chance to visit this region, do not miss trying a bowl of Hu Tieu My Tho. The toppings are peeled boiled shrimp, hard-boiled quail egg, pork slices and liver slices, deep-fried cubed pork fat and chives. There’s no need to comment about its flavor. Just have a taste and it’s your turn to tell me how it tastes.

Sa Dec Clear Rice Noodle Soup is Hu Tieu with the noodle made in Sa Dec city, Dong Thap province in Mekong Delta. Sa Dec is famous for white, tender but tough Hu Tieu noodle.

The broth of Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Saute isn’t as clear as other kinds of Hu Tieu but it has orange color. This food is special for its extremely hot taste and the only Hu Tieu with shredded cucumber.

Hu Tieu Ho or Ho Clear Rice Noodle Soup is totally different but people in Saigon also call it Hu Tieu. So that I have listed this Chinese food in Saigon here. The noodle isn’t as thin as other Hu Tieu noodle soup but square leaf made from rice flour. The toppings are pork organs stir-fried with pickled greens, chopped green onion and deep-fried onion.

Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Fish is difficult to cook because the smell of fresh fish must be . The fish meat is soft and tender will make you feel comfortable to eat. In addition, fish is very good for the health so that many people love to eat this dish.

How about eating Hu Tieu Noodle with Goat Curry – a specialty in Ho Chi Minh city? If you’re a curry lover, let’s try this amazing dish.

Producing Hu Tieu is popular in Mekong Delta. If you travel to Mekong Delta, let’s stop at a Hu Tieu factory to learn more about how to make this noodle and enjoy a hot bowl of Hu Tieu. I’d to share steps to make Hu Tieu noodle for whom is interesting in. Rice flour, water and other ingredients which are secret of each factory are mixed using machine. The mix is poured onto a big pot of boiled water with very thin and solid cloth on it. The cook skillfully make the battle as thin as possible. Ready Hu Tieu rice paper are get out of the cloth. These rice paper put on bamboo sheet. Hu Tieu rice paper are sun-dried. After being dried, the Hu Tieu rice papers look like in the photo. The last step is cutting them into Hu Tieu noodle by machine.

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