Mì Khô Xá Xíu (Vietnamese Dry Noodles with Char Xiu Pork)

Method7 steps · about 3 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Combine only the char siu ingredients in a pan: 2 lb pork shoulder, 1 cup filtered water, 2 tbsp cooking wine, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp each garlic and onion powder (2 tsp), ½ tsp salt and ½ package Chinese barbecue seasoning. Bring to a boil, lower to medium-high and cook about 15 minutes, turning pork every 5 minutes. Reduce to medium-low and keep turning every 5 minutes until the pork is fully cooked and nearly all liquid has evaporated.

   Initial char siu cooking phase · 15 minUses 2 lb pork shoulder · 1 cup filtered water · 2 Tbsp cooking wine · 2 Tbsp light soy sauce · 2 tsp garlic powder · 2 tsp onion powder · 1/2 tsp salt · 0.5 package char siu seasoning

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all pork bones or pork ribs to a pot and fill with tap water until just covered. Add 2 Tbsp salt and bring to a boil on high heat. Once it hits a boil, let it boil for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat, and drain. Rinse under running water until clean and drain the water.

   Uses 2–3 lb pork bones or spare ribs · 2 Tbsp salt · tap water

3. 3

   Step 3: Toast the dried squid or dried shrimp about 3 minutes, then rinse clean. Return the cleaned bones or ribs to the pot with 14 cups filtered water, two whole peeled onions, dried seafood, the separate 2 tbsp broth salt, 2 tbsp broth sugar and 1 tsp MSG. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook about 2 hours until any meat on the bones is tender.

   Simmer pork broth · 120 minUses 14 cups filtered water · 2 onions · 2 Tbsp dry squid or dry shrimp (toasted 3 min, then rinsed until clean) · 2 Tbsp sugar · 1 tsp MSG (monosodium glutamate) · 2 tbsp salt · chosen two-to-three-pound bones/ribs briefly boiled with cleaning salt and drained/rinsed

4. 4

   Step 4: Remove the lid and discard the cooked onions and dried squid or shrimp. If using spare ribs, check that the meat is fully cooked and tender, then reserve it for serving with the broth.

   Uses cleaned bones/ribs simmered about two hours with onions, dried seafood and broth seasonings

5. 5

   Step 5: Cut the pork fat (0.5 lb) into 1/2" cubes and saute on medium high heat until crisp, drain and set aside.

   Uses 0.5 lb pork fat

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat the noodle-sauce 2 tbsp oil with the minced shallot (1) until fragrant, then stir in its 1 tbsp minced garlic. Add 4 tbsp oyster sauce, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, the separate 2 tbsp sauce sugar, 2 tbsp rice vinegar and 8 tbsp water. Bring to a boil, taste and adjust, then remove from the heat.

   Uses 2 Tbsp neutral cooking oil · 1 minced shallot (medium) · 1 Tbsp minced garlic · 4 Tbsp oyster sauce · 4 Tbsp soy sauce · 2 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine · 2 Tbsp rice vinegar · 8 Tbsp water

7. 7

   Step 7: Boil the thin egg noodles (2 lb) according to their package instructions, drain and divide among eight bowls. Add already-blanched bean sprouts (1 lb), cut chives (2 bunch), sliced cooked char siu and drained crisp pork fat. Spoon a little noodle seasoning sauce over each bowl, with extra rice vinegar and spicy Chinese mustard (to taste) to taste. Serve the finished broth, with any cooked spare-rib meat, in small bowls alongside; add some broth to the noodles if desired.

   Uses 2 lb thin egg noodles · 1 lb blanched bean sprouts · 2 bunch chives · rice vinegar (to taste) · spicy Chinese mustard (to taste) · water for boiling egg noodles according to package · pork shoulder cooked in its own seasoning group until cooked through and liquid mostly evaporated, sliced for serving · simmered broth with onion/dried seafood discarded and cooked spare-rib meat if used