Central Vietnam’s Must-Eat Noodle Dish: Mi Quang

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What is Mì Quảng?

Mì Quảng is a part noodle soup and part salad dish that offers a unique combination of flavors and textures. It is a widely popular noodle dish originating from Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam and a must-try if you ever visit the popular city of Da Nang.

Mì Quảng is made with flat yellow rice noodles that are served in a small but intensely flavored broth, along with a medley of fresh herbs and vegetables. There are many variations of tasty toppings that go with Mì Quảng but the signature items include slices of pork belly, whole shrimp, toasted peanuts, sesame rice crackers, and hard-boiled quail eggs.

This is a noodle soup that is best enjoyed in the summer when it’s too hot to enjoy a traditional bowl of noodle soup and when the garden is in full bloom of Vietnamese herbs that need to be used up.

Mì Quảng Broth

The broth in Mì Quảng is what sets it apart from other noodle dishes. Unlike traditional noodle soups that are heavily reliant on broth, Mì Quảng uses only a small amount of intensely flavored broth. There is just enough broth in each serving to wet the noodles and bring everything together. If you are doing it right, you shouldn’t be able to see the broth in the finished bowl.

The stock for the broth is made by simmering pork bones and shrimp heads to create a flavorful base. The pork bones add depth, while the shrimp heads contain the roe that adds richness and provides a beautiful red color. The broth is finished with salt, sugar, and fish sauce. For more umami, I also add chicken bouillon powder and/or MSG but these are optional. Highly recommended but optional.

Side note: Some home cooks and restaurants use jarred minced crab and prawns (pictured above) as a quick alternative to fresh crab or shrimp roe. This is the same store-bought ingredient that is added to a quick version of Vietnamese Pork and Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Riêu Cua Thịt).

Mì Quảng Yellow Noodles

This noodle dish features flat rice noodles that are physically similar to the more well-known chow fun noodles. However, unlike chow fun noodles, these rice noodles are naturally dyed yellow with turmeric powder and they are chewier with the addition of tapioca starch. In other words, do not use chow fun noodles. They are not yellow and they are too delicate.

You can get the correct yellow noodles in most Asian supermarkets in the dry goods aisle. They are hard to miss and are typically labeled Mi Quang Noodles or Quang-Style Noodles. Look for the ones that are naturally colored with turmeric powder.

Yield 6Author Vicky PhamPrep time10 MinCook time1 HourTotal time1 H & 10 MPrintWith ImageWithout Image

Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Mì Quảng Tôm Thịt)

Mì Quảng Tôm Thịt is a popular dish from central Vietnam that’s part noodle soup and part salad. This noodle soup consists of yellow turmeric noodles, topped with succulent pork and shrimp, roasted peanuts, crispy rice crackers, fresh herbs, and a rich broth made from pork, and/or chicken bones, and shrimp heads.

Ingredients

Broth

• 3 lbs pork bones (neckbones or leg/marrow bones)
• 1 lb pork belly
• 1 lb large whole shrimp with heads
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon sea salt (divided)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (divided)
• 1 tablespoon paprika (divided, little heat, mainly for color)
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder (divided)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
• 1 yellow onion (peeled and quartered)
• 1 daikon (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 2 large shallot (peeled and finely chopped)
• 6 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)

Noodles, Vegetables and Garnishes

• 2 10.5-oz bags of Quang Nam yellow rice noodles
• Fried shallots
• Green onions (sliced thin)
• Cilantro (sliced thin)
• Yellow onion (sliced thin)
• Toasted peanuts
• Bean sprouts
• Green or red cabbage
• Lettuce
• Sesame rice crackers
• Lemons or limes

Instructions

Prep the Pork and Shrimp

1. Optional: If the pork bones, pork belly and shrimp have a lingering foul smell, place them into a large mixing bowl and scrub them down with 2 tablespoons coarse salt then rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Drain dry.
2. Slice the pork belly into long strips. Then slice it into thin pieces. Transfer to a bowl and marinate with a bit of salt, sugar, fish sauce, paprika and turmeric. Set aside.
3. Detach the shrimp heads from the bodies. Set shrimp heads aside to make the broth later. Shell the shrimp if preferred and devein.
4. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and marinate with a bit of salt, sugar, fish sauce, paprika and turmeric. Set aside.

Make the Broth

1. To the bottom of a large pot, heat a tablespoon oil on medium-high. Add shrimp heads and pan fry for 5 minutes. Using the back of a ladle, smash the shrimp heads to release its head fat, which will naturally color the broth a beautiful red/orange. Add pork bones, yellow onion, daikon, and 2 quarts of water and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, leave the pot uncovered, and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Once done, remove all the solids and discard.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add half the shallots and garlic, and pan-fry until fragrant (20 seconds). Add the marinated pork belly slices, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the outside is caramelized. Transfer the pork belly to the stock pot and continue to cook the stock for an additional 15 minutes. Season broth with remaining salt, sugar, fish sauce, paprika and turmeric. Adjust to taste. If you find the broth a little underwhelming, add a bit of MSG or chicken bouillon powder (wink wink).
3. Return to the empty skillet and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add remaining shallots and garlic and pan-fry until fragrant (about 20 seconds). Add the marinated shrimp and cook for about three minutes or until they are no longer translucent. Once cooked, set the shrimp aside.

Cook the Noodles and Prep the Vegetables

1. Cook the noodles per packaged instructions. Prep the vegetables.
2. To make the rice crackers, lightly wet them with water. You can use a water spritzer on both sides or dab them with a wet paper towel. Ensure that the microwave plate is clean and place the crackers directly on it. Heat them for 30 seconds, flip them over, and heat for another 30 seconds until they puff up evenly. Break the crackers into small pieces and set aside.

Asembly

1. To assemble, add your choice of vegetables to the bottom of the bowl. Layer the cooked noodles on top of the bed of vegetables. Pour about a cup of broth over the noodles, making sure to include slices of pork belly. This noodle soup is part salad so it only needs a small amount of concentrated broth.
2. Add shrimp, rice crackers, peanuts, and fried shallots on top of the noodles.
3. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, cilantro, and yellow onions. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side and enjoy.

Notes

• You can also use pork spare ribs for the broth and save them to use as a meaty topping.
• For a quicker version of stock, use 4 cups store-bought chicken stock and 4 cups water. Cooking time will be less. Adjust seasonings to taste.
• If you don't have shrimp heads, use jarred or canned minced crab and shrimp (about 5 oz). No need for paprika if using this. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

932

Fat

48 g

Sat. Fat

16 g

Carbs

95 g

Fiber

5 g

Net carbs

90 g

Sugar

6 g

Protein

27 g

Sodium

1728 mg

Cholesterol

176 mg

The values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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