7-year-old’s drawing of family and friends.

We will have a deep emotional discussion tonight about the fishes.

Hanoian noodle soup with chicken, egg, and pork (Bún thang Hà Nội)

(Adapted loosely from 24h)

For 6 adults and 4 kids

1 small young chicken, about 2-2.5 lbs
1 piece of ginger, about 1″
12 small dried shrimps (optional)
1 yellow onion
5 pieces of rock sugar
1 tsp turmeric powder + 1 tbs water
Salt
1 lb pork chops (about 3 pieces, separate bone and meat)
10 dried shiitake mushroom (soaked, drained, and slices)
1/4 lb Vietnamese pork ham (thinly sliced, matchstick size)
4 eggs
Fish sauce
Canola oil
12 shrimps (peeled)
Dried noodle (cooked and drained)
Vietnamese coriander “rau răm” (cleaned and chopped)
Vietnamese shrimp paste (optional)

1. In a large stockpot, cover chicken (breast side up) with water. Add ginger, onion, dried shrimps, rock sugar, turmeric powder + 1 tbs water, and salt. Cover and cook under medium heat.
2. Once the broth starts to boil, flip the chicken breast side down, and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.
3. Cover the stockpot, turn off the heat, and leave the chicken undisturbed for 15 minutes.
4. Put chicken in a large bowl with cold water. Once cool to touch, shred chicken meat.
5. Add chicken bones and pork bones to the stock under medium heat.
6. When broth starts to boil, add pork meat, cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.
7. Quickly rinse pork under cold water, and slice thinly, matchstick size. Set aside to cool.
8. Simmer the broth for about 2 hours.
9. Meanwhile, in a 10″ non-stick skillet, fry one egg at a time (omelette style with a dash of fish sauce).
10. Slice eggs thinly, matchstick size. Set aside.
11. In the same skillet, stir-fry shrimps until cooked.
12. Use a pestle and mortar to shred shrimp in thin pieces.
13. Stir-fry shredded shrimps until dry.
14. Readjust the taste of the broth if necessary (add salt or rock sugar).
15. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms to the stock.
16. To serve: in a large individual bowl, add cooked noodle in the bottom of the bowl, then arrange thinly sliced pork, chicken, Vietnamese ham, egg, and shrimp around the top. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms in the middle. Ladle broth on the side, then sprinkle chopped Vietnamese coriander on top. Serve with shrimp paste if using.