An easy tomato meatball rice noodle soup that delivers a clean, sweet broth without simmering bones. Tender, springy meatballs paired with fresh tomato wedges create a fragrant, rich-flavoured soup that's perfect for a quick home-cooked meal.
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Adapted from a video by Nấu ăn ngon Tv
Chán cơm, làm ngay bát Bún Thịt Viên Cà Chua này - không cần hầm xương
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1
Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and soak them in water until soft. Set aside the soaking liquid as it will be fragrant. Rinse and soak the wood ear mushroom as well.
2
Slice two-thirds of the shallots lengthwise into thin strips for making fried shallot oil. Mince the remaining third.
3
Cut tomatoes into wedge-shaped chunks. This keeps the broth clear and the tomato pieces visually appealing in the final dish.
4
Mince the scallions and cilantro finely for garnishing at the end.
5
Once the wood ear is soft, rinse away any white residue from the surface. Cut into small pieces.
6
Grind the pork shoulder, wood ear, and minced shallot together until very fine. Fresh grinding lets you control the fat content. Mix in egg white to give the meatballs a springy, cohesive texture.
7
Season with fish sauce, soy sauce, bouillon powder, and black pepper. Mix and knead by hand for about 2 minutes until the meat becomes elastic and sticky.
8
Make fried shallot oil: toss the shallot strips with cornstarch for extra crispness. Heat oil in a pan and fry the shallots over low heat until pale golden, then immediately remove to prevent burning.
9
Heat 2 tablespoons of the fried shallot oil in a pot and stir-fry the tomato wedges over high heat. Add fish sauce for aroma. Cook just until the tomatoes soften slightly while keeping them chunky.
10
Pour in 2 litres of water (or stock if available). Once the broth comes to a boil, trim and add the shiitake mushrooms. Pour in the soaking liquid, leaving behind any sediment.
11
Once boiling, season with 1 tablespoon bouillon powder, 1 tablespoon soup stock powder, half tablespoon MSG, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and half tablespoon sugar. Taste and adjust by adding more bouillon and stock powder as needed — the broth should be more concentrated than everyday soup since rice noodles are bland.
12
Wet your fingers and squeeze out meatballs one at a time, gently compacting each one as you drop it in so it stays intact in the broth. Cook for about 4–5 minutes until done.
13
Skim off any tomato skins that float to the surface. The broth is now ready.
14
Heat the serving bowl with hot water or broth before plating. This prevents the hot broth from cooling too quickly when poured in.
15
Place rice noodles in the bowl and pour hot broth over them. Add a few meatballs, some mushrooms, and tomato chunks. Garnish with minced scallions, cilantro, and fried shallot oil. Serve with fresh lettuce and herbs; squeeze a bit of lime juice over top before eating for extra flavour.
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