What is hủ tiếu?

Food and Beverage | 2019-10-09

Overshadowed by its more famous soup cousin phở, hủ tiếu was introduced to Vietnam via China. This Vietnamese food is a type of soup named after the rice noodles it uses, and consists of pork-stock, fresh herbs and onions. The broth has a sweet, light flavour. Hủ tiếu xương is the classic version, made with pork ribs, though soup vendors around Saigon are likely to have their own special adaptations. Toppings such as sliced pork shoulder, pork chops, wontons, meatballs, and seafood are available. For a textural contrast, mix phở or mì in with your hủ tiếu noodle.

The first version of hủ tiếu in Vietnam was hủ tiếu Tiều (Tiều: people of Teochew, China). One of the successful Vietnamese attempts to adapt hủ tiếu to a more local taste is hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho, of which the noodle is crispier and the accompanied vegetables richer than that created by the Chinese. Another favourite version is hủ tiếu Nam Vang, created by the Chinese in Cambodia and hence influenced by the taste of the latter. The best hủ tiếu noodle is made, amongst other places, in Mỹ Tho, from good quality perfume rice.

Furthermore, every Saigonese knows hủ tiếu gõ – hủ tiếu sold on-the-go, vendors can usually be found at night on the road or in alleys around HCMC. The average price of a hủ tiếu bowl is VND30,000-70,000.