Bún Bò Huế

Bun Bo Hue (literally: Huế style beef rice vermicelli) or more specifically, bún bò giò heo (literally: beef and pig's knuckle rice vermicelli) is a popular Vietnamese soup rice vermicelli dish. The predominant flavor is of lemon grass. The broth is sometimes mildly spicy, rarely very spicy, and occasionally not spicy at all.

Bun Bo Hue originated in the old imperial capital of Central Vietnam, Huế. The broth is prepared by cooking beef bones for a long period of time, as well as a large variety of different spices including lemon grass and chili. Shrimp paste is also a very important ingredient.

Bun Bo Hue usually includes thin slices of marinated beef shank, chunks of well-cooked oxtail, and pig's knuckles or pork. It can also include cubes of congealed pig blood, which has a color between dark brown and maroon, and a texture resembling gelatin.

Bun Bo Hue is commonly served with mung bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, raw onions, and thinly sliced banana blossom. Thinly sliced purple cabbage or iceberg lettuce are common substitutes when banana blossom is not available. Purple cabbage most resembles banana blossom in texture, though not in taste. It is also common for a diner to add a small dollop of shrimp paste directly into the soup.