Lẩu mắm — Mekong Delta fermented-fish hot pot

Put the pork bones and 1 L blanching water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the bones and pot. Return the bones to the clean pot with 2 L fresh water and 3 g salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 90 minutes, skimming as needed. Strain and measure the stock; top up with water to 1.5 L if evaporation reduced it.

In a second saucepan, combine both fish pastes with 1 L water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring to loosen the fish. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing gently; discard bones and solids. Do not taste the raw paste mixture.

Heat 15 ml oil in the cleaned stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and bruised lemongrass; cook for 1 minute until fragrant without browning the garlic. Add the pineapple and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, turning gently.

Pour in the strained fish-paste liquid, 1.5 L pork stock and coconut water. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add the eggplant and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until tender but still holding its shape. Taste only now; if needed, add fine salt a little at a time. Keep the broth simmering until serving.

Cook the rice vermicelli according to its package directions. Drain and rinse briefly in cool drinking water if the package directs. Divide among six bowls. Wash and drain the water spinach, water-lily stems or extra greens, banana blossom and okra. Arrange them on a clean platter, separate from raw seafood.

Transfer the simmering broth to a stable portable hot-pot burner. Keep it at 60°C / 140°F or hotter during the meal and return it to a boil after adding ingredients. Keep the raw pork, fish, shrimp and squid in separate chilled dishes over ice, with separate tongs for each and a clean ladle for cooked food. Do not leave perishable raw proteins at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F.

Cook small batches at the table. Simmer pork belly until the centre of a slice reaches at least 71.1°C / 160°F, checking with a clean thin-tip thermometer. Cook fish until opaque and flaky and verify its thickest piece reaches 62.8°C / 145°F. Cook shrimp and squid until opaque throughout and firm; where a thermometer fits, verify 62.8°C / 145°F. Add greens and okra last and cook until wilted or tender. Use cooked-food tongs or the clean ladle to serve; do not eat directly from shared cooking utensils.

Ladle broth and cooked toppings over the noodles. Serve greens alongside or briefly cook them in the pot, with lime wedges. Refrigerate leftover broth and cooked ingredients within 2 hours in shallow covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat leftovers to 73.9°C / 165°F. Discard raw seafood or pork left at room temperature beyond the safe limit.