Central Vietnam Must-Eat Noodle Dish: Mi Quang

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Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Mì Quảng Tôm Thịt)

What is Mì Quảng?

Mì Quảng is a popular noodle dish that originated from Quảng Nam Province in central Vietnam. It is a must-try noodle dish if you ever visit the popular city of Hội An and the northern neighboring city of Đà Nẵng.

Mì Quảng is made with flat yellow rice noodles, served in a small amount but intensely flavored broth with a medley of fresh herbs and vegetables. There are many variations of tasty toppings that go with Mì Quảng but the most popular toppings include slices of pork belly, whole shrimp, toasted peanuts, sesame rice crackers, and hard-boiled quail eggs.

This noodle soup offers a unique blend of flavors and textures, thanks to its diverse array of toppings. It is best enjoyed in the summer when it’s too hot to enjoy a traditional bowl of noodle soup and when the garden is in full bloom of Vietnamese herbs that need to be used up.

Mi Quang Tom Thit (Vietnamese yellow turmeric noodles from central Vietnam) — Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Mì Quảng Tôm Thịt)

Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Mi Quang Tom Thit) — Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Mì Quảng Tôm Thịt)

Bánh Tráng Mè, also known as Bánh Đa. — Bánh Tráng Mè, also known as Bánh Đa, are thin, crispy sheets made from tapioca or rice flour mixed with black sesame seeds. When toasted over an open flame or in the microwave, they puff up into light and crunchy crackers, which can be eaten as a snack or used as a topping for Mì Quảng and other Vietnamese dishes.

jarred crab paste to achieve the color for Mi Quang — If you don't have shrimp heads to achieve the red color naturally, use this or other jarred/canned minced crab and shrimp. If using this, there’s no need to add paprika.

Mì Quảng Broth

The broth in Mì Quảng is what sets it apart from other noodle dishes. Unlike traditional noodle soups that use a lot of broth, Mì Quảng uses only a small amount. There is just enough concentrated broth in each serving to wet the noodles and bring everything together. If you are doing it right, you shouldn’t be able to see the broth in the finished bowl.

The stock for the broth is made by simmering pork bones and shrimp heads to create a flavorful base. The pork bones add depth, while the shrimp heads contain the roe that adds a seafood richness and a beautiful red color.

It’s finished with salt, sugar, and fish sauce. For more umami, I also add chicken bouillon powder and/or MSG but these are optional. Highly recommended but optional.

You can also use jarred minced crab and prawns (pictured above) as a quick alternative to fresh crab or shrimp roe. This is the same store-bought ingredient that is added to a quick version of Vietnamese Pork and Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Riêu Cua Thịt).

Broth for Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Mì Quảng Tôm Thịt)

Mì Quảng Yellow Noodles

This noodle dish features flat rice noodles that are physically similar to the more well-known chow fun noodles. However, unlike chow fun noodles, these rice noodles are naturally dyed yellow with turmeric powder and they are chewier with the addition of tapioca starch. In other words, do not use chow fun noodles that you see in styrofoam trays typically sold at Asian grocery stores. They are not yellow which is not a big deal. More importantly, they are too delicate and will break apart easily.

You can get the correct yellow noodles in most Asian supermarkets in the dry goods aisle. They are hard to miss and are typically labeled Mi Quang Noodles or Quang-Style Noodles. Look for the ones that are naturally colored with turmeric powder.

If you can't find these yellow noodles, simply use dried flat phở noodles. They are the same noodles, just without the yellow color. You can dye them yellow by adding turmeric powder to the water when boiling or simply use them as is.

Dried Turmeric Yellow Noodles for Mi Quang — Dried Turmeric Yellow Noodles for Mì Quảng

Put it All Together

Once you have the broth, noodles, and all the various toppings prepared, its time to put all together.

To assemble Mì Quảng, start by adding your choice of vegetables to the bottom of your serving bowl, followed by yellow noodles. Then, ladle in the hot broth and add your desired toppings. When ready to eat, simply mix everything together so the broth wet all the ingredients and enjoy.

Alternatively, serve the vegetables on the side so guests can add as much or as little vegetables as they like.