How to Make Vietnamese Beef and Crab Paste Hotpot

Preparing and Simmering Pork Bones

Clean the pork bones, then grill them lightly to remove the blood from the marrow and eliminate odors. Scrape off any charred bits and rinse again.

Boil a pot of water with 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. When the water boils, blanch the pork bones for 5 minutes, keeping the lid off to allow impurities to evaporate.

Remove the bones, rinse them, and discard the blanching water. Refill the pot with fresh water and add the bones. To enhance the broth's aroma, add 2-3 grilled shallots and 1 small grilled ginger root (wash the ginger and peel the shallots before adding).

The bones should simmer for at least 3-4 hours to develop a rich broth (ideally 6-8 hours). It's best to start simmering the bones first, while you prepare the other ingredients to save time.

Preparing the Beef

Leave the beef shank whole and rub it with coarse salt, white wine, and crushed fresh ginger to clean and remove the strong odor. Rinse, drain, and slice thinly.

To keep the beef tender and prevent it from releasing too much water, marinate it with a bit of oil and finely chopped fresh ginger.

Preparing the Crab

For convenience, ask the vendor to prepare the crabs for you, or follow this guide for detailed instructions.

After grinding the crab, separate the crab roe and set aside. Rinse the crab meat once more for cleanliness.

Add water to the ground crab, stirring and gently squeezing the mixture to separate the meat from the shell. Carefully tilt the bowl and strain the crab liquid into a pot. Repeat this process until the water runs clear.

After straining, season the crab liquid with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of MSG. Stir and let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes.

To help the crab form firm, flavorful cakes with a rich taste, add 1 egg to the crab liquid and beat it well before cooking.

Place the pot on the stove and cook over low heat. Stir gently at the bottom of the pot to prevent the crab from sticking. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat and carefully push the crab cake to one side, ladling the broth over it to help it set.

Preparing Other Ingredients

Wash and cut the tomatoes into wedges.

Peel and slice the onion thinly.

Wash and cut the spring onions into 3-4cm pieces.

Clean and drain the vegetables for the hotpot. Blanch the vermicelli in boiling water and drain.

Season the pork paste with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper. Mix well.

If using pork cartilage, rub it with coarse salt, rinse, and blanch for 5 minutes with 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Rinse again and drain before adding to the hotpot.

Peel and slice the shallots thinly. Set aside 1/4 for sautéing with the crab roe and use the rest for making fried shallots.

Making Fried Shallots

Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan, enough to submerge the shallots completely. This ensures they fry evenly and stay crispy without absorbing too much oil.

To keep the fried shallots crisp and golden, start frying them in cool oil and maintain a medium heat. Once they float and start to turn golden, remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Sautéing the Crab Roe

In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté some thinly sliced shallots. Add half of the crab roe and cook over low heat to avoid burning.

Add 1 teaspoon of fish sauce for flavor. When the crab roe is done, add the tomatoes and stir for a minute before transferring to a bowl.

This sautéed crab roe and tomato mixture will add color to the hotpot. For even more color, add 1/3 teaspoon of turmeric powder while sautéing.

Afterward, rinse the pan with a ladle of broth and return it to the pot for extra flavor and color.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the same pan, and sauté the remaining shallots. Add the rest of the crab roe and carefully stir in the cooked crab cakes, being gentle to keep them intact. Sauté for another 30 seconds, then transfer to a bowl.

Cooking the Beef and Crab Paste Hotpot

Once the pork broth has simmered for 3-4 hours and has developed enough flavor, remove the bones and add the crab broth. Next, add the sautéed crab roe and tomato mixture. Shape small meatballs from the seasoned pork paste and add them to the broth. Cook for another 5-6 minutes.

For added flavor, you can include fresh turmeric leaves at this stage.

Season the broth to taste. Since this is a crab paste hotpot, the main flavor should be mildly sour. Season with salt, MSG, a bit of sugar, fish sauce, and fermented rice vinegar for tanginess. Finally, transfer the broth to a hotpot pot.

Arrange the vegetables and noodles on the table, and prepare lime pepper salt for dipping. The fragrant, colorful, and delicious beef and crab paste hotpot is ready to serve.