Cao Lau is the most famous noodle in Hoi An and it is considered as a specialty food of Hoi An. Cao Lau is the combination of many different food cultures. Cao Lau consists of thick rice noodles, pieces of barbecued pork, greens and crunchy croutons. The thick noodles are similar to Japanese udon, the crispy won-ton crackers and pork are a Chinese touch, while the broth and herbs are clearly Vietnamese.

Cao Lau noodle is made from local new sticky rice. Water used to soak rice must be taken from wells in the Ba Le Village; noodles thus will be soft, enduring and flavored with special sweet-smelling. The outstanding feature of this food is the color of noodle because of the ash from Cham (tree) from Cu Lao Cham. On the Cao Lau noodles were some meat slices mixed with fat made from fried noodles served with vegetables and bean sprouts, which together with the green adds a burst of freshness and crisp texture to the chewy noodles and meaty pork. Sharp-witted eaters would find out the specific flavor of the dish.

Dry pancakes used as an ingredient must be thick with much sesame on the surface. Greasy coconut quintessence and bitter green cabbage are also indispensable. The so-called genuine Cao Lau, Hoi An must satisfy all above requirements. So you need one local tour guide to introduce the destination of some local restaurants there.

It was said that only some wells in Hoi An were used to make Cao Lau Noodles. Besides, only some Hoi An families were able to produce Cao Lau by their own traditional way, but the quality was not as good as it was before. Up to now, there is no historian data or information to clarify the origin of Cao Lau, so it still remains in mystery.

Ingredients

• 1kg pig femur
• 1 carrot
• 1 white radish
• 1 "Su Su"
• 2 chicken breasts
• Red vinegar
• Soy sauce
• 300 gram lean back pork
• 300 gram cha lua
• 40 leaves wontons
• 24 noodles
• A little spice, cilantro, fresh onion
• A spoon of scented wine
• Pepper, shallots, lettuce

Instructions

1. Prepare: carrots, turnips, su su peel and cut.
2. Put bone, water, salt, seasoning, carrots, white turnips, su su, and a little onion into pot to cook soups. Chicken boil and torn into small fibers.
3. Lean back spiced, alcohol, Five spices and a little of red- orange about 30 minutes. Then fry, pout a little soups, cook until dry then slice thinly.
4. Role finely minced lean in wontons leave then fry.
5. Cut shallotm lettuce drain and cut into pieces, shop peppers, slice "cha lua".
6. Boil water, put noodle then drain and irrigate fat. Put xa xiu meat , cha lua, chicken, cooking oil, onion, chopped cilantro and wontons above, alitle soups.

How to enjoy:

Cao lau is served with shallot, fork salad, lemon, pepper, vinegar, soy sauce, chili.