Flavorful Pork Ribs Macaroni Soup (Sup Nui Suon Heo)

Also, I included the secret step about how to season any Vietnamese soup perfectly in this recipe. So if you are wondering how Viet soup can be so tasty, you're in the right place. Lets find out that secret step together, shall we?

Essential ingredients

There are few key essential ingredients in order to make this ultimate comfort soup taste flavorful and perfect

• Rice macaroni: traditionally we're using Asian style rice macaroni in this sup nui suon heo.
  • Substitution: you can also use elbow or penne if rice macaroni is not available to you.
• Chicken bouillon powder: one of the secrets that makes the soup taste super flavorful and perfect. I use this Korean chicken bouillon, it tastes really good and does not make the soup become cloudy like other bouillon.
  • Substitution: you can still use Knorr bouillon for this soup. But keep in mind the broth might be a little less clear compared to using the Korean brand.
• Fish sauce: every Vietnamese soup uses fish sauce to season the broth. It won't be Vietnamese food without this essential ingredient so make sure you have a bottle of this goodness in your pantry.
  • Substitution: you can use Kosher salt in place of fish sauce.
• Fried garlic & fried shallot: the last secret revealed. These are the two must-have ingredients to make this recipe the best comfort food recipe. I included the step-by-step instruction below so make sure to check them out.

Blanch pork ribs: In a medium cooking pot, put pork ribs in the pot and add enough water to cover the ribs completely. After that take the ribs out. Bring water to boil over high heat. Then return the ribs to the pot and boil for 3 minutes.

Drain pork ribs: After 3 minutes, carefully drain the ribs into a colander and rinse under cold run water. Make sure the temperature of the ribs cool down to room temperature. Set aside for later use. Also, clean the cooking pot, fill with water and return the pot to stove top.

Make the broth: Add onion and a sachet of cilantro stems to the pot. Bring to boil over high heat.

Cook pork ribs: When the water is boiling, add clean, room temperature pork ribs to the pot then simmer the ribs over medium high heat or medium heat (this will depend on your stove top).

Adjust the heat level high enough to simmer the water, not hard boil or the broth will become very cloudy afterward. Skim off any scum that forms on the surface as needed.
Cook the pork ribs until they are almost tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Cook vegetable: Bring the pot back to a boil then immediately add carrots and daikon. Lower the heat back to previous setting just enough to simmer everything. Cook until vegetable and ribs are completely tender approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Continue skimming any scums that forms on the surface. Avoid stirring the pot as much as you can so the macaroni soup broth can stay clear.

Season the soup: Remove the onion and the sachet. In a small mixing bowl, add chicken bouillon and fish sauce (or Kosher salt) together with 1 cup of hot broth from the soup pot. Mix until everything is dissolved completely. Then add this bouillon mixture to the pot together with fried shallot and fried garlic. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Cook macaroni: Cook macaroni following the instructions on the package.

Assemble pork ribs macaroni soup (sup nui suon heo): Add a desired amount of rice macaroni in a large soup bowl. Top each bowl with chopped green onion. Then ladle the hot soup over the top together with few pieces of pork ribs, carrots, and daikon. Finally, sprinkle with fried shallots, fried garlic (See instructions below) and ground black pepper. Served hot immediately with a side of fish sauce-lime dipping sauce.

Make crispy fried garlic: Set up a sieve over a small mixing bowl and a medium plate lined with paper towel in advance. In a small sauce pan, heat together minced garlic and oil over medium heat.

Fry garlic: Cook the garlic in the oil (around 275F) for 3 minutes, stir occasionally with a spatula or a chopstick.

Increase the heat: Then increase the heat to medium high setting and cook for 1 minute or until the garlic starts changing color to light golden brown.

Watch carefully: Don't go anywhere thus garlic easily to burn after they turn golden brown. Turn off the heat immediately and remove the frying pan from the stove right away.

Cool down fry garlic: Then carefully transfer fried garlic to a paper towel line plate to cool down. Reserve the oil for frying shallot later. Set crispy fried garlic aside for later use in pork ribs macaroni soup.

Make crispy fried shallots: Set up a sieve over a small mixing bowl and a medium plate lined with paper towel in advance.

In a small sauce pan, heat together oil over medium heat. When the oil reach 275F. Add the shallot and cook, stir occasionally until shallots become light golden brown.

Strain fried shallots: Immediately pour the oil and shallots through the sieve to stop the carry over cooking process.

Cool down fried shallot: Then carefully transfer fried garlic to a paper towel line plate to cool down. Reserve the oil for frying shallot later. Set crispy fried garlic aside for later use in pork ribs macaroni soup.

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