Mi Quang

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp annatto seeds
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1.5 pounds pork neck bones
• 8 cups water
• 1 shallot – halved
• 2 garlic cloves – smashed
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• 0.75 pounds pork shoulder – thinly sliced
• 0.75 pounds shrimp – peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 shallot – thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves – minced
• 24 ounces fresh turmeric rice noodles (mi quang noodles)
• 8 eggs quail – hard-boiled and peeled
• lettuce – thinly sliced (for serving)
• bean sprouts – rinsed (for serving)
• mint – leaves only (for serving)
• cilantro – chopped (for serving)
• Vietnamese coriander (rau ram) – leaves only (for serving)
• Thai basil – leaves only (for serving)
• scallion greens – thinly sliced (for serving)
• roasted peanuts – coarsely chopped (for serving)
• sesame rice crackers (banh trang me) – broken into large shards (for serving)
• bird's eye chilies – thinly sliced (for serving)
• lime – cut into wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. Make annatto oil: In a small pan, combine the neutral oil and annatto seeds over medium-low heat until the seeds sizzle and the oil turns deep red, 3–5 minutes; strain and reserve the colored oil, discarding the seeds.
2. Parboil the bones: Put the pork neck bones in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and boil 5 minutes; drain and rinse the bones and pot to remove impurities.
3. Start the broth: Return the bones to the pot with 8 cups water, the halved shallot, smashed garlic, sugar, and 1 tsp of the salt; bring to a boil, then simmer gently, uncovered, skimming as needed, until lightly savory and aromatic, 40–50 minutes.
4. Marinate the proteins: In one bowl, toss the pork shoulder with half of the thinly sliced shallot, half of the minced garlic, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp fish sauce, and 0.25 tsp black pepper, plus 2 tsp of the reserved annatto oil; in a second bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining sliced shallot and minced garlic, the remaining 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp fish sauce, and 0.25 tsp of the remaining salt, plus 1 tsp of the annatto oil; let both rest 15 minutes.
5. Sauté the pork: Heat 1 tbsp of the annatto oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat, add the marinated pork mixture, and cook, stirring, until just cooked through and lightly colored, 3–4 minutes; ladle in about 0.5 cup hot broth from the pot and simmer 2 minutes to form a concentrated sauce, then keep warm off heat.
6. Sauté the shrimp: In the same skillet over medium heat, add the shrimp mixture and cook until opaque and just firm, 1–2 minutes per side; splash in a little broth to deglaze, then keep warm with the pork.
7. Cook the noodles: Bring a separate pot of water to a boil; add the fresh turmeric rice noodles and cook until supple but not mushy, 1–2 minutes (or per package); drain and rinse briefly under hot water.
8. Finish the broth: Strain the broth into a clean pot, discarding bones and aromatics; stir in the remaining 2 tbsp fish sauce, the remaining 0.25 tsp salt, and the remaining 0.25 tsp black pepper, then keep it at a gentle simmer; taste and adjust with a little more salt or fish sauce if needed—the broth should be well seasoned but not salty.
9. Prepare toppings: Halve the hard-boiled quail eggs; arrange lettuce, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, Vietnamese coriander, Thai basil, scallion greens, roasted peanuts, sesame rice cracker shards, bird's eye chilies, and lime wedges on a platter for the table.
10. Assemble each bowl: Add a handful of lettuce and bean sprouts to a bowl, nest a portion of noodles on top, then spoon on some pork with its sauce and a few shrimp; ladle 0.5–0.75 cup hot broth around (Mi Quang is served with a scant amount of broth), add quail egg halves, and drizzle with a little of the remaining annatto oil; finish with herbs, scallion greens, peanuts, rice cracker shards, and chilies; serve with lime wedges to squeeze at the table.