Bánh Canh Cua

Banh Can Cua

Jet Lag is still lagging and at 4.30am this morning I was still awake……..

Then decided that I needed something to look forward to if i was going to make it through the day, enter stage Banh Canh Cua

This is a rich thick crab soup with the addition of quail egg

One of the real reasons for chasing this dish is that in numerous articles and books I read is that this is one of the dishes that you are allowed to slurp loudly in Vietnam, and everyone knows how I love to slurp noodles, much to my mothers horror! In Japan it is demanded that you slurp loudly, but in Vietnam not so much, although I just pretend to have never received that memo.

The noodles are the reason permission is given to make as much noise as possible whilst avoiding the sauce splattering everywhere. These noodles are made from tapioca flour and therefore make it chewier than the rice noodles that are found almost everywhere else. They are very reminiscent of the Japanese udon noodle, thicker and worm like and more toothy than most other noodles. I was never much of a lover of Udon noodles until my visit to Takamatsu in Japan. SInce then it will be my noodle of choice, even though I haven’t quite mastered the art of slurping them well as i always land up wearing the sauce after.

Tapioca style udon noodle

The sauce is made from a base of pork broth with the addition of crab. This particular broth is very thick and reminds me very much of the Japanese curry sauce that is made form the little flavoured blocks that get dissolved in water. Except no curry flavour what so ever. Most of the Banh Canh Cue you find in Hanoi is thinner and I think this establishment has made a conscious decision for theirs to be thicker with good reason. And after eating other similar dishes I understand why. The viscosity of this broth fills your mouth more and hugs that noodle as if it’s life depends on it, it makes for a very textural eat.

In Vietnam there will always be limes or chillies or little jars of garlic in vinegar on the tables to add to the broths to add some high and low’s. This broth needs it, because of the texture of both broth and noodles and with the size of enormous bowl the monotony could set in quickly……imagine a bowl of macaroni without tomato sauce

So in walks this green sauce, acidic and sweet and spicy and herbaceous all at the same time. It reminded me very much of the coriander chutney in Indian cuisine. It just gave this bowl a lift that made me smile at intervals between bites. This to me also suggested that there was someone in charge here that was more than just a hand me down cook. What I mean by that is that this was not a recipe handed down from generation to generation, but rather of someone understanding exactly what this bowl needs and then taking all the condiments you would normally get on one your table and blending it into one very fine sauce that gives you everything in the perfect ratio

It really does add extra dimension to an amazing bowl of yummy. This dish only gets served over the weekend and it is so popular that the broth is in an enormous, what can only be described as a witches cauldron, all 50Ltrs of it.

So as I am eating this bowl and adding said green sauce I really am trying to dissect what is in it. The last thing I want is to walk away never knowing, so on to google translate I go and as I descend this very narrow staircase I am cringing thinking this is the most touristy thing to do, show them the screen on my phone, asking what is in the green sauce. The lady taking the money shows it to the chef who then triumphantly in English gives me a full run down of ingredients. She is this bright happy little cherub looking lady with the biggest smile in the world and all I am thinking is how universal it is wanting to share your knowledge as a chef when there is true appreciation. And as I step outside to leave I take a few steps and then turn back to take a picture for the album and the signage outside catches my eye.

She looks exactly like it says on the label.