Cao Lầu
Cao lầu is inseparable from the port town of Hội An, and tradition holds that the dish only tastes right when made with water drawn from the town's ancient Bá Lễ well, said to give the noodles their distinctive firmness. The noodle-making process itself borrows from regional trade history: the thick, chewy strands are closer in texture to Japanese udon than to any other Vietnamese noodle, a legacy some food historians trace to the Japanese merchants who settled in Hội An centuries ago when it was a major trading port. Unlike most Vietnamese noodle dishes, cao lầu is served nearly dry, dressed with just enough pork drippings and scallion oil to coat the noodles rather than submerged in broth. The combination of roasted pork, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and crisp fried rice crackers on top gives each bowl a mix of textures rarely found in a single dish, and Hội An locals still consider it impossible to replicate authentically anywhere outside the old town.
Made only with water from one ancient well
Traditional cao lầu uses water drawn from the centuries-old Bá Lễ well in Hội An, prized for a mineral balance that gives the noodles their firm, slightly chewy bite.
Thick noodles closer to Japanese udon
The noodles are thick, pale yellow, and only lightly sauced rather than swimming in broth, a texture that sets cao lầu apart from Vietnam's usual soup noodles.
Char siu-style pork slices
Thin slices of pork are marinated in five-spice and soy, then roasted until the edges caramelize, layered over the noodles just before serving.
Crisp rice crackers for crunch
Small squares of deep-fried rice paper are scattered on top, adding a crackling contrast to the chewy noodles and tender pork.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 400g cao lầu noodles (or thick fresh rice noodles)
- 300g pork shoulder, cut into thin slices
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 100g bean sprouts
- 2 rice paper sheets, cut and deep-fried until crisp
- Fresh herbs (mint, Vietnamese coriander), for serving
- 2 tbsp scallion oil, for drizzling
How to make it
- 1Marinate the pork slices in soy sauce, five-spice powder, and minced garlic for at least thirty minutes.
- 2Roast the marinated pork in a hot oven or grill until the edges caramelize and the center is just cooked through, then slice it thinly.
- 3Blanch the bean sprouts briefly in boiling water and set them aside.
- 4Warm the cao lầu noodles in a splash of the pork's cooking juices or a little stock, just enough to soften them without making them soupy.
- 5Heat the scallion oil in a small pan until fragrant, then set it aside for drizzling.
- 6Fry the cut rice paper squares in hot oil until they puff and turn golden, then drain them on paper towels.
- 7Pile the warm noodles in a bowl, top with the roasted pork, bean sprouts, herbs, and rice crackers, and drizzle with scallion oil before serving.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
