Bún Riêu

(Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup)

Ingredients

Broth & protein

• 1 whole rack baby back ribs, cut into 1‑inch pieces

• 1 lb shrimp, roughly chopped

• 1 lb ground pork

• 16 oz lump crab claw meat

• A handful dried shrimp, soaked in warm water

• 5 cups chicken broth (homemade if possible)

• 1 whole sweet/yellow onion, cut in half

• 2 pieces ginger, 2 inches each

• 2 tbsp whole peppercorns

• 1 tbsp salt

Aromatics & paste

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 shallots, minced

• 8 tomatoes, quartered

• 4 tbsp Koon Chun shrimp sauce (adjust to taste)

• 1 bottle crab paste with soya bean oil

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 3 tbsp olive oil

Egg/crab mixture (riêu)

• Ground pork (from above)

• Roughly chopped shrimp (from above)

• 16 oz lump crab meat

• 4 eggs

• 2 tbsp ground black pepper

• 3–4 tbsp crab paste with soya bean oil (from the bottle)

• 1–2 tbsp habaNANO hot sauce or seasoning (start with 1 tbsp for mild, 2 tbsp for spicier)

Noodles & tofu

• 3 packages rice noodles (bun)

• 1 package firm tofu, cut into 1‑inch pieces

• Neutral oil for frying tofu

Herbs & garnish

• 1 bundle green onion, chopped

• Fresh herbs (perilla, Thai basil, cilantro if you like)

• Lime wedges

• Sambal or chili paste (optional)

• Extra habaNANO for serving

Instructions

1. Prep and parboil the ribs

• Cut pork ribs into 1‑inch pieces (or ask your butcher). Soak in cold water for 1 hour to pull out impurities.

• Soak dried shrimp in warm water and set aside.

• Place ribs in a pot with enough water to cover and add one piece of ginger. Bring to a boil and parboil for 15 minutes.

• Remove ribs, discard this water, and rinse the ribs well.

2. Pressure cook the pork broth

• Put the parboiled ribs into the Instant Pot. Add fresh water to cover, the second piece of ginger, the halved onion, whole peppercorns, and 1 tbsp salt.

• Cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes, then allow natural release.

• When done, strain the pork broth and set aside. Keep the ribs for serving.

3. Make the crab/pork/egg mixture (with habaNANO)

• In a large bowl, combine ground pork, roughly chopped shrimp, lump crab meat, 4 eggs, 2 tbsp ground black pepper, a few tbsp of crab paste with soya bean oil, and the soaked, chopped dried shrimp (optional for extra umami).

• Add 1–2 tbsp habaNANO and mix gently until everything is evenly incorporated but not overworked.

• Set this mixture aside to rest while you prepare the tomato base.

4. Build the tomato broth base

• In your main soup pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.

• Add minced garlic and shallots; sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.

• Add quartered tomatoes and stir‑fry for about 4 minutes until they soften and release juices.

• Pour in the 5 cups chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

5. Combine broths and season

• Add the strained pork broth from the Instant Pot into the main pot with the tomatoes and chicken broth.

• Stir in 1 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsp Koon Chun shrimp sauce (adjust to taste).

• Add a few spoonfuls of crab paste with soya bean oil from the bottle to enrich the broth.

• Taste and adjust with more shrimp sauce, salt, or a touch of habaNANO if you want a bit more background heat in the broth itself.

6. Fry the tofu

• Pat firm tofu dry and cut into 1‑inch cubes.

• Heat neutral oil in a pan over medium‑high heat. Fry tofu until golden brown on all sides.

• Transfer to a cooling rack or paper towels and set aside.

7. Add the crab/riêu mixture

• Bring the main pot to a gentle boil.

• Using a spoon, scoop the crab/pork/egg mixture into small meatball‑like mounds and gently drop them into the simmering broth. They will float to the top when cooked.

• Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the riêu is fully set and cooked through.

8. Final seasoning

• Stir in additional shrimp sauce or crab paste as needed for depth.

• Taste the broth and adjust salt, sugar, and heat (you can add another 1 tbsp habaNANO to the pot if you want a spicier house version).

9. Cook the noodles

• Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Rinse briefly with warm water and drain.

10. Assemble and serve

• In each bowl, add a portion of noodles.

• Top with a few pieces of rib, chunks of tofu, and generous spoonfuls of crab/riêu.

• Ladle hot broth over everything.

• Garnish with green onions, fresh herbs, and lime. Add sambal and extra habaNANO at the table so everyone can customize their spice level.