Rice noodles in a slowly cooked pork bone broth with ginger and lemongrass — a deeply flavoured noodle soup of Tripura influenced by the state's Southeast Asian cultural connections.
Ingredients
For the pork bone broth:
500g pork bones (neck or back bones)
5 cups water
2 inch ginger — sliced and lightly charred over a flame
1 stalk lemongrass — bruised
3 garlic cloves — crushed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
For serving:
200g rice noodles (soaked in hot water 10 minutes)
100g thinly sliced cooked pork (reserved from the broth cooking)
2 spring onions — finely sliced
2 tbsp fresh coriander
1 green chilli — thinly sliced
Fish sauce or soy sauce to season at the table
Method
Make the broth: place pork bones in a pot with 5 cups cold water.
Bring to a boil. Skim all white foam from the surface for the first 5 minutes — this is essential for a clear, clean broth.
Add charred ginger (hold ginger slices directly over a flame until slightly charred for smoky depth), bruised lemongrass, crushed garlic, turmeric and salt.
Reduce to the lowest possible heat. Simmer uncovered for 90 minutes to 2 hours.
The broth will reduce and deepen in colour. Skim any fat that rises to the surface every 30 minutes.
Strain the broth through a fine sieve — it should be clear, golden and deeply fragrant.
Pick any meat from the bones and reserve for topping.
Return the strained broth to the pot. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
Prepare the noodle bowls: divide soaked noodles between deep bowls.
Add reserved cooked pork slices.
Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Top with spring onion, fresh coriander and sliced green chilli.