Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1.5 lb (680 g) pork bones; 1.5 lb (680 g) chicken carcass/wings
- 1 onion (halved), 3 in (45 g) ginger, 10 cups (2.4 L) water
- 1 small daikon (300 g), 1 oz (30 g) dried shrimp, 1 tbsp rock sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 12 large shrimp (8 oz/225 g), shells reserved
- 12 oz (340 g) pork shoulder/loin (thinly sliced); 8 oz (225 g) ground pork
- 8 quail eggs
- 14 oz (400 g) fresh hu tieu noodles or 12 oz (340 g) dried
- 10 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
- Dry sauce: 3 tbsp garlic oil, 1.5 tbsp light soy, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp hot broth, pinch white pepper
- Bean sprouts, chives, scallions, cilantro, lime, chiles; fried garlic for garnish
Do This
- 1. Make garlic oil: gently fry minced garlic in oil 6–8 min until golden; strain and reserve both.
- 2. Parboil bones 5 min; rinse. Char onion/ginger. Build broth with bones, chicken, aromatics, dried shrimp, shrimp shells; simmer gently 2 hours.
- 3. Season broth with rock sugar, fish sauce, salt; strain and keep hot.
- 4. Poach sliced pork in broth 2–3 min; sauté ground pork with 1 tsp soy, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp garlic oil.
- 5. Boil quail eggs 4 min; ice-bath and peel. Poach shrimp 1–2 min in broth.
- 6. Cook noodles: fresh 20–30 sec; dried soak 20 min then boil 45–60 sec. Rinse briefly and drain.
- 7. Dry bowls: toss noodles with dry sauce; top with meats, shrimp, quail eggs, sprouts, chives, fried garlic; serve hot broth on the side. Soupy bowls: noodles in bowl, add 2 cups broth, then toppings.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crystal-clear, deeply savory pork–chicken broth with gentle sweetness from daikon and rock sugar.
- Two authentic ways: “dry” noodles glossed in sauce with broth on the side, or comforting soupy bowls.
- Balanced toppings: tender pork, bouncy shrimp, jammy quail eggs, fresh herbs, and crisp sprouts.
- Restaurant-worthy results with home-cook-friendly steps and exact times.
Grocery List
- Produce: Yellow onion, ginger, daikon, garlic, chives, scallions, bean sprouts, cilantro, limes, jalapeño or Thai chiles, Chinese celery (optional).
- Dairy: None.
- Pantry: Pork bones, chicken carcass/wings, pork shoulder/loin, ground pork, large shrimp, quail eggs, hu tieu noodles (fresh or dried), fish sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rock sugar or sugar, dried shrimp, dried squid (optional), white pepper, neutral oil, black vinegar (optional), salt.
Full Ingredients
Clear Pork–Chicken Broth
- 1.5 lb (680 g) pork neck or back bones
- 1.5 lb (680 g) chicken carcass or wings
- 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water, plus more for parboiling
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved
- 3 in (45 g) ginger, lightly smashed
- 1 small daikon (about 300 g), peeled and cut into 2 in chunks
- 1 oz (30 g) dried shrimp, rinsed
- Optional: 1 small dried squid (about 0.5 oz/15 g), rinsed
- Reserved shells from 12 shrimp
- 1 tbsp (12 g) rock sugar (or 2 tsp granulated sugar)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
Proteins & Toppings
- 12 oz (340 g) pork shoulder or loin, thinly sliced
- 8 oz (225 g) ground pork
- 12 large shrimp (about 8 oz/225 g), peeled and deveined (shells reserved above)
- 8 quail eggs
- 2 cups (140 g) bean sprouts
- 1 bunch garlic chives or regular chives, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) batons (about 1 cup/40 g)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- Chinese celery or celery leaves, chopped (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges; sliced jalapeño or Thai chiles
- White pepper, to finish
Garlic Oil & Fried Garlic
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
- 10 garlic cloves (about 40 g), very finely minced
- Pinch of salt
Ground Pork Seasoning
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic oil (from above)
- Pinch white pepper
Hu Tieu Noodles
- 14 oz (400 g) fresh hu tieu noodles, or 12 oz (340 g) dried hu tieu noodles
Dry Bowl Sauce (for Hu Tieu Kho)
- 3 tbsp garlic oil
- 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp hot broth
- Generous pinch white pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp black vinegar for brightness
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make aromatic garlic oil
Place the neutral oil and minced garlic in a small skillet. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic turns evenly golden and aromatic, 6–8 minutes. Do not brown too dark or it will taste bitter. Strain through a fine sieve: reserve the clear garlic oil and the crispy garlic separately. Season the fried garlic with a tiny pinch of salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Parboil bones for a clear broth
Place pork bones and chicken parts in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a hard boil for 5 minutes, then drain. Rinse bones and pot under cold water to remove scum. This step keeps the final broth crystal clear.
Step 3: Simmer the broth low and slow
Char the onion and ginger directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until lightly blistered, 3–5 minutes. Return the cleaned pot to the stove and add parboiled bones, chicken, charred onion and ginger, daikon, dried shrimp, optional dried squid, and reserved shrimp shells (tie dried items/shells in a mesh bag if you have one). Add 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water and bring just to a boil. Immediately reduce to a gentle simmer, 185–195°F (85–90°C), and cook uncovered for 2 hours, skimming often. Avoid vigorous boiling.
Strain through a fine sieve. Season with rock sugar, fish sauce, salt, and white pepper. Taste and adjust: the broth should be savory with a light sweetness and clean finish. Keep hot.
Step 4: Cook and season the toppings
Poach the sliced pork in the hot broth until just cooked and tender, 2–3 minutes. Remove and keep warm. In a small pan, combine ground pork with soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, garlic oil, and white pepper. Cook over medium heat, breaking into small crumbles until just no longer pink, 3–4 minutes; do not dry it out. Poach the shrimp in the hot broth until opaque and bouncy, 1–2 minutes. Reserve all toppings warm.
Step 5: Boil and peel quail eggs
Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently lower quail eggs and boil 4 minutes for set-but-tender yolks. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel carefully. Halve lengthwise if you like.
Step 6: Prep herbs and noodles
Rinse bean sprouts and herbs; slice chives and scallions. For fresh hu tieu noodles: bring a pot of water to a boil, add noodles, and blanch 20–30 seconds until just translucent and bouncy. For dried noodles: soak in warm water 20 minutes, then boil 45–60 seconds until tender with a slight chew. Rinse briefly under cool water to stop cooking, drain very well, and toss with 1–2 tsp garlic oil to prevent sticking.
Step 7: Assemble dry bowls (Hu Tieu Kho)
In a small bowl, whisk together garlic oil, light soy, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, hot broth, and white pepper (plus black vinegar if using). Divide cooked noodles among 4 bowls and toss each portion with about 2 tablespoons of the sauce until lightly glossy. Top with ground pork, sliced pork, shrimp, quail eggs, bean sprouts, chives, scallions, cilantro, and a spoonful of fried garlic. Serve each bowl with a small cup of hot broth on the side and lime wedges. Diners can sip the broth or moisten the noodles as they eat.
Step 8: Assemble soupy bowls
Divide noodles among bowls. Ladle in 1.5–2 cups hot broth per bowl. Add sliced pork, ground pork, shrimp, quail eggs, bean sprouts, chives, scallions, and cilantro. Finish with fried garlic and a dusting of white pepper. Serve with lime wedges and sliced chiles.
Pro Tips
- Keep the simmer gentle (tiny bubbles) to maintain a clear broth; rapid boiling clouds it.
- Season the broth at the end to avoid concentrating salt as it simmers.
- Use a mesh bag for dried shrimp and shrimp shells for easy removal and a cleaner look.
- For easy quail egg peeling, crack all over, roll gently, and peel under running water.
- Cook noodles just shy of done; they’ll finish in the hot bowl and stay silky, not mushy.
Variations
- Seafood-forward: Add fish balls, squid rings, or scallops; increase dried shrimp to 1.5 oz (45 g).
- No-pork version: Use all chicken bones/wings (3 lb/1.36 kg total) and skip ground pork.
- Spicy sate: Stir 1–2 tsp chili sate or chili oil into the dry sauce or swirl into the soup.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Broth keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Chill quickly and store in airtight containers. Keep noodles, proteins, and herbs separate until serving. Cooked noodles can be blanched a day ahead; rinse, drain well, and toss with 1–2 tsp garlic oil, then refrigerate. Reheat broth to a simmer; rewarm noodles in boiling water for 10–15 seconds. Fried garlic keeps crisp in an airtight jar at room temperature for 1 week.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate: Dry bowl 700–750 kcal; Soupy bowl 550–600 kcal. Typical per serving: 35–45 g protein, 18–28 g fat, 65–85 g carbohydrates, 1200–1600 mg sodium. Values vary by noodle type, added oil, and seasoning.
