Bánh đa cua is a speciality of Hải Phòng, one of Vietnam’s largest port cities. A bowl of bánh đa cua is a harmony of colors and flavors: the reddish-brown noodles blend into the golden, glossy broth, rich with natural sweetness. Fragrant crab meat, buttery crab roe, crispy pork cracklings, and golden fried shallots come together to create this iconic dish. The origin of Bánh đa cua dates back to the 10th century. The ancestor of today’s bánh đa cua was originally a type of special dry food called bánh đa. This dish was extremely simple and convenient: just dipping the noodles into boiling water with a pinch of salt was enough to make a quick, long-lasting meal at home. It wasn’t until the 13th century that Mr Trần Quốc Thi transformed this simple food, adding spices and ingredients to create the Bánh đa cua known and loved today. For the people of Hai Phong, Bánh đa cua is not only a dish that satisfies all three elements (aroma, color, and taste) but also a symbol of the city’s rich culinary heritage and the warmth of its people.
My grandma was born and raised in Hai Phong. Every time we visited my great-grandmother’s house in Hai Phong, my grandma would prepare this special dish for the whole family. The aroma would fill the whole home, carrying with it the warmth of her love and the taste of home. Cooking beside my grandma became one of my favorite memories. She would share stories of her childhood in Hai Phong while teaching me each step with patience and care. Below is the detailed recipe she passed down to me.
Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
Red or white bánh đa noodles (depending on preference): 400g
Ground freshwater crab: 400g
Pork ribs (cartilage ribs preferred): 300g
Ground pork: 150g
Fish cakes, pork fat, and dried shrimp: 100g
Water spinach: 300g
Tomatoes: 6 Fresh herbs
Wood ear mushrooms: 20g
Piper lolot leaves: 10g
Shallots: 10g
Green onions and sawtooth coriander: 10g
Seasonings: Fish sauce, salt, pepper, and seasoning powder
Instruction:
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
Dice the pork fat. Soak the dried shrimp in warm water until softened, then rinse. Soak wood ear mushrooms for about 15 minutes, clean, and thinly slice. Wash the lolot leaves and save the large ones for wrapping and finely chop the smaller ones to mix with the minced pork. Wash and cut tomatoes into wedges, slice shallots and green onions, and clean all herbs thoroughly. If you’re using dried noodles, soak them in warm water for about 5 minutes to soften. Skip this step if you’re using fresh noodles.
Step 2: Cook the pork ribs and prepare the crab broth
Blanch the ribs in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then rinse well. Return to the pot with 2 liters of water and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. For extra flavor, you can add a couple of roasted shallots. Meanwhile, mix the ground crab with water and gently squeeze the meat with your hands to release the flavor. Strain the mixture to remove shells, keeping only the crab water.
Step 3: Extract the crab paste
Bring the crab water to a gentle boil with a pinch of salt. When the crab paste starts to float to the surface, skim it out and set aside. Keep the crab broth for later.
Step 4: Make the lolot leaf rolls (Chả Lá Lốt)
Mix the minced pork with the sliced wood ear mushrooms and chopped lolot leaves. Add seasoning, pepper, and fried shallots, then let rest for 5 minutes. Place a spoonful of the mixture on each lolot leaf (shiny side down), roll tightly, and secure with a toothpick if needed. Pan-fry the rolls over medium heat until evenly golden.
Step 5: Blanch the morning glory
Boil about 1 liter of water with a pinch of salt, add the morning glory, and cook for 3–5 minutes. Immediately transfer to cold water for 5–7 minutes to keep the color bright and texture crisp.
Step 6: Prepare the toppings
Render the diced pork fat in a pan until crispy, then remove. In the remaining fat, fry sliced shallots until golden, then set aside. Use a bit of the fat to sauté the crab paste with crispy lard and fried shallots until fragrant. In the same pan, sauté tomatoes with a splash of fish sauce until soft, then remove. Finally, pan-fry the fish cakes until golden on both sides and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Step 7: Make the soup
Add the crab broth to the pork rib broth, pour in the sautéed tomatoes, and season with fish sauce and broth mix to taste. Quickly blanch the noodles in boiling water, then place them in serving bowls. Top with lolot rolls, crab paste, shrimp, vegetables, herbs, and pour the hot broth over everything.
Serve in a hot bowl and enjoy the rich, comforting flavors of Hai Phong’s signature dish!