Bún nước lèo Sóc Trăng

Wash and dry the herbs and vegetables. Hold the shredded banana blossom in cool water with a squeeze of lime to limit browning, then drain before serving. Keep ready-to-eat produce separate from raw seafood.

In a small saucepan, simmer both fermented fish pastes in 500 ml of the water for about 10 minutes, skimming foam. Strain through a fine sieve or clean muslin into the large stockpot. Press lightly, leaving bones and solids behind, and discard the solids.

Add the remaining 700 ml water, coconut water, fingerroot, lemongrass and shallot. Bring just to a simmer, skim carefully and cook gently for 20 minutes. Remove the aromatics.

Lower the fish portions into the broth and poach gently until the thickest part reaches 62.8°C / 145°F. Lift out carefully. Cook the shrimp in the broth to 62.8°C / 145°F until opaque and firm, then remove and peel. Keep the broth hot.

Taste the broth after the seafood is cooked. Stir in the sugar and add salt only if needed; fermented fish varies in salinity. If it tastes too concentrated, add a little hot water. Keep it at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.

Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package directions. Drain and rinse briefly with cool water to separate the strands. Slice the roast pork. Divide the noodles, fish, shrimp and roast pork among four bowls; arrange the vegetables and herbs on a platter.

Ladle about 400 ml hot broth into each bowl. Serve at once with bean sprouts, banana blossom, water spinach, chives, herbs, lime and optional chili. Add the crisp vegetables and lime to each bowl at the table.