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Bun bo hue is a noodle soup from the city of Hue, Vietnam. That was where my dad was from, so he would make the best BBH. When he came to the US, there was never a restaurant that met his expectations. My family and I ate it all the time and it was a staple dish at all our holiday dinners. He passed away a little over a year ago, and I learned to make this dish for the kids recently so we can keep him in our hearts. Verdict: the kids gave it a thumbs up. Here is a Vegan version: https://veggieanh.com/vegan-bun-bo-hue/

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Bún Bò Huế is a spicy Vietnamese noodle soup that is absolutely addictive and one of the best noodle soups in the world. Unlike the ubiquitous, well-loved and well-known pho, bun bo hue is strangely not as popular. But those in the know, know: Bun bo hue is where it's at.
Any good cook will tell you that homemade soups are a labour of love. They take time and a little bit of effort, but like any thing that is worth waiting for, they are absolutely heartwarming. Soups, especially noodle soups, are my go to bowl of comfort. I love the flavors and combination of textures (solid and liquid, squishy and firm), the slurping, the messiness, the fun, the satisfaction. And if you had to ask me what my all time favorite noodle soup was, I would probably say: bun bo hue.

When we started going out, Mike told me that bun bo hue was one of his favorite soups growing up. He took us out for a couple of bowls of BBH (as Mike and I lovingly call it) and I was addicted. I've been wanting to make BBH ever since.

BBH isn't quite as popular as pho and I'm not quite sure why. It might be because it's from Central Vietnam or it might just be because it hasn't yet made its way into the spotlight. But, if you look for it, you can find BBH specialists. There's even a place down in San Diego that has a BYOP (bring your own pot) so you can bring home enough BBH for your whole family and then some.
Note: this recipe was first posted in 2014 and has been updated since to our most recent version, if you're looking for the old version, leave us a note in the comments.
But wait, what is bun bo hue?

If you've never had bun bo hue, think of all the things you love about pho and then increase them by 10. Bun bo hue is pho's hotter, younger, spicier cousin. They share the same general bones: piping hot flavorful stock, slippery noodles, slices of tender beef, and fresh herbs to punch it up. But, while pho is made with just beef, BBH is made with beef and pork, as well as herbaceous lemongrass and a crazy addictive saté that turns the whole soup a gorgeous golden red.

Bun bo hue Soup

The soup is a fiery orange-red thanks to a spicy red hot chili oil made from two kinds of chilis, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and fish sauce. The rice noodles, thicker and a different shape than the flat ones in pho, are cylindrical and round, slippery and firm. The brisket is tender and the garnishes add the freshness you expect when eating a bowl of Vietnamese food. It's spicy, savory, sour and sweet all at once - both balanced and in your face.

Is bun bo hue #worthit?

The first time I made this was for Mike's birthday one year and even though it was a lot of work for my inexperienced self back then, the warm cozy comfort of that first sip blew me away. It was totally worth it, and we've been making it ever since.

Noodle soup is a gift to yourself and to the ones you love. After all, love is like soup: warm and cozy, nourishing and filling. Love is the crook of your best friend's arm as you fall asleep at dawn, bursting into laughter together over nothing at all, long lingering walks talking about everything and nothing. Love is noodle soup, the big things, the little things, and everything in between.

Are you convinced? Make this because you love yourself or make it for someone you love. Let's do this!

First things first, where is bun bo hue from?

Bun bo hue is a noodle soup from the city of Hue, Vietnam. The name literally means beef noodle soup from Hue. It's beloved in Vietnam and since its conception has gone from a soup made with solely beef to a beef-based soup with other good things like pork hock and ham added in.

Bun bo hue ingredients

Bun bo hue is made up of three main components: the soup, the satế, and the stuff.

The soup

The stock or soup of bun bo hue is really easy to make, you just need time (or an Instant Pot).

Oxtail - Oxtails will give you the perfect combination of meat for beefiness, collagen from the bones for body, and fat for flavor.

Brisket - Slow cooking the brisket in the soup will give the soup extra beef flavor and ensure your brisket is fall apart tender.

Lemongrass - Lemongrass is one of the main flavors of BBH. Wash, trim, and slightly bruise the stalks by using your hands to break them, kind of like how you would snap a pencil in half. This will help release their aromatic oils into the soup.

Shallots - Shallots add a caramel sweetness without adding sugar.

The satế

The satế, or the chili oil, is the highlight of BBH. It's garlicky, spicy, and full of lemongrass flavor. If you like Chinese chili crisp, you'll LOVE satế. It tastes amazing in soup, obviously, but it also tastes great on everything else: meats, eggs, vegetables, toast, you name it, this satế will make it better.

Shallot - Shallots are so much better than onions, in my opinion. They're delicate and sweet with just a hint of sharpness.

Lemongrass - Lemongrass makes up the bulk of the satế and adds a fresh herbaceous. Make sure you trim and remove the outer stalks and mince before placing in your food processor. Lemongrass is tough and has to potential to burn out the motor.

Garlic - Lots of garlic for that flavor we all know and love.

Fresh Thai chilis - This satế uses a mix of fresh chilis and dried so you get the best of both world. If you like spice, you can add extra Thai chilis.

Chili flakes - The dried chili flakes add a hint of smokiness and also the ruby-red color. We like to use dried Sichuan chili flakes.

Sugar - A bit of sugar balances out and highlights the spice.

Fish sauce - A huge hit of umami added the at the end for saltiness and flavor.

Shrimp paste - mắm ruốc huế, a bright pink shrimp paste that's a specialty of Hue adds a HUGE hit of umami and depth of flavor. If you can find it, it will take your BBH to another level. Mike's parents have fond memories of when the shrimp boats used to come in once a year. They would ferment their own shrimp paste; they still dream about the flavor.

The stuff

aka the fillings aka the toppings aka the good stuff

Vermicelli - The rice noodles in BBH are bun, a thick round vermicelli that's hearty and hefty. The noodles resemble spaghetti but are made of rice flour, like pho noodles. You can find these at your local Asian grocery store.

Brisket - After slow cooking the broth, the brisket is cut into tender, thick slices.

Beef balls - Bò viên are the Vietnamese beef meatballs that you've probably had in pho. They're firm and chewy and full of beef flavor. You can find them in the refrigerated section of a well stocked Asian grocery store. We like to cut them in half.

Vietnamese meatloaf/ham - There are lots of different varieties of Vietnamese meatloaves out there - they're kind of like mortadella - but the one we like is chả chiên, the deep fried one. It's porky and smooth, flavored with black pepper and fish sauce.

Banana blossoms - Banana blossoms add crunch and a tangy complexity to bun bo hue. This is one of those specialty toppings that is probably going to be hard to find. It's absolutely authentic and most good Bun Bo Hue restaurants have banana blossoms. They're not the easiest to prepare, but if you have a decent Vietnamese grocery store around, you can find them there, pre-prepped, in a vacuum sealed bag in the produce department. If you can't find them, what a lot of restaurants do is serve up thinly sliced cabbage instead.

Herbs - Is it even Vietnamese food if there aren't any herbs?! We always include what's fresh at the store, in this particular case, we went with mint, sawtooth coriander (ngò gai), cilantro, Thai basil, thinly sliced red onions, and lime wedges.

This is not even getting into pork hock, blood cubes, and other fixins that are traditional but probably not accessible to the home cook.

How to make bun bo hue

We like to divide the cooking/prep over two days for a more chill vibes pleasant cooking experience. Once you've made the stuff the day before, the next day you can go from hungry to a steaming hot bowl of noodles in no time flat. You'll have basically created your own little BBH restaurant!

Day 1

1. Make the soup. Blanch the oxtails, then place in a pot with lemongrass and shallots. Let simmer for 3.5 hours then add the brisket and let simmer for another 2.

2. Once the soup is done, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the aromatics. Remove the oxtails and brisket and store in an airtight container.

3. Regarding the oxtail: you can have this as a chef's treat or you can shred the meat off the bone and have it with your BBH the next day.

4. Store the soup in a container and pop everything in the fridge.

5. Make the satế. Use a food processor to blend up the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and chilis, then heat up the oil and gently cook. Mix in chili flakes, sugar, fish sauce, and fish paste. Let cool then store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Day 2

Once you have the stock and the satế ready, you're basically good to assemble!

1. Prep the herbs: wash and dry the herbs and slice the onion and lime.

2. Remove the soup from the fridge. Take the brisket out and slice neatly. Slicing the brisket after it chills in the fridge gives you a cleaner cut. Slice the meatloaf/ham and cut the beef balls in half.

3. Prep your bowls. You'll need bowls that can generously fit 3 cups of liquid. Fill them up with extra hot tap water and set aside so the bowls can warm up, then drain just before the noodles are done cooking.

4. Heat up the soup in a pot. When it's hot, add the brisket, beef balls, and ham and leave it at a bare simmer over low heat. In another pot, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the vermicelli. When it's done, rinse, drain well, and divide evenly into the bowls.

5. Top the noodles with the meats, a scoop of the satế (start with 1 tablespoon, then add extra to taste), then ladle on the hot broth. Garnish with ALL the herbs and enjoy immediately.

What if I want to make everything in one day?

You absolutely can! Just skip out on the storing the soup in the fridge step and plan your day accordingly: the soup takes 5.5 hours to make.

Stovetop vs Crockpot vs Instant Pot

Can you make this with a crockpot? Yes! Blanch the oxtail bones before placing everything in the crockpot (including the brisket) on low for 6 hours.

What about the instant pot? Also yes! Again, blanch the oxtail bones, then just put everything in the Instant Pot (including the brisket) on high pressure for 40 minutes, then quick release.

I hope you give this a try and end up loving it. It's one of our favorite noodle soups. We love BBH so much that we'll take special side trips to try out well known BBH restaurants. Once our friend even brought us take away BBH from another city! As much as we love BBH out, we love it in more. We can slurp as loud as we like, add ALL the extra satế, and do the toppings just the way we want. Happy noodle souping!

xoxo steph (and Mike, since this is his very authentic recipe!

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Bun Bo Hue: The Noodle Soup You Never Knew You Loved · i am a food blog

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Bún Bò Huế is a spicy Vietnamese noodle soup that is absolutely addictive and one of the best noodle soups in the world. Unlike the ubiquitous, well-loved and well-known pho, bun bo hue is strangely not as popular. But those in the know, know: Bun bo hue is where it's at.

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What to do with all that leftover meat and veggies? Look no further than Taiwanese fried rice! This lovefest of leftovers is a yummy next day solution to all things. Broken heart? Fried rice. Rainy day? Fried rice. Last minute get together? Fried rice. This recipe reminds me of my father who is not our family chef, but that man made a mean fried rice. I would wake every Saturday morning to the smell of fresh garlic and sizzling Taiwanese sausage and look forward to a bowl.

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This Taiwanese fried rice recipe has secured its place as my go-to comfort food. This is a great change from the typical fried rice and just as easy to make.

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I am proud to say I came up with this entirely on my own. Ingredients: 1 shin ramen package (original flavor), 1 small bag of your favorite shrimp chips, 1 small bag of your favorite rice crackers, 2-3 small bags of other snackies you think might work -- I prefer something cheesy like Cheez-its. Bugles also work well. and Chex rice cereal if you want to keep it classic. Throw it all in a bowl, smash the shin ramen noodles and disperse the seasoning over everything. Mix and enjoy! You're welcome 😅

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Sooooo, I make this once a week. Now that I'm pescatarian, I have to unfortunately avoid the deliciousness of the other meats (I so miss a good bowl of pho, or some pork spare ribs). If you want something that almost resembles ham or bacon, try this recipe. I marinate it on the weekend and cook it on Tuesdays. Paired with rice and some parboiled broccoli that cooks right beside the salmon, you've got yourself a simple, but so satisfying dinner.

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This Miso Salmon is marinated in a sweet and savory miso sauce and broiled until the outside is beautifully crisp and the inside is perfectly moist. It's even better when you serve the fish with Japanese ginger rice. You'll make it a staple in no time.

Salmon is truly one of the best choices of fish out there! I love that the fish is readily available, extremely versatile, and makes a healthy protein for any meal. Today, I'm going to share my tried-and-true easy salmon recipe- Miso Salmon (味噌サーモン).

Here, salmon fillets are marinated in a mixture of miso, sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and then broiled until they become succulent and golden brown. You and your family will love how simple and satisfying it is, especially when served with rice and vegetables.

Using Miso in Japanese Recipes

Miso (味噌) is a Japanese condiment primarily made from fermenting soybeans, salt, koji (a fermentation starter), and sometimes rice or barley.

New to miso? Read this post.

From miso soup to salad dressing and miso marinated fish, miso is a common condiment used every day in Japanese kitchens. Its sweet and salty flavor makes it a wonderful marinade, particularly well-suited for fatty fish like cod and salmon.

I have previously shared the Miso Black Cod recipe made popular by Nobu on the blog. In today's recipe, we'll learn the best way to apply the miso treatment to salmon and how to achieve flavorful, tender fish with a golden top that everyone will enjoy.

How to Make Miso Salmon

The Ingredients You'll Need

Salmon: I recommend using salmon that is less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick for broiling. If you don't have a broiler, wild King/Chinook salmon, which is thick and has a high-fat content, is ideal for baking. You don't have to worry about the fish drying out quickly. Farmed Atlantic salmon, while very rare to find in the wild, is a more affordable and accessible option.

Miso: I use white miso (shiro miso) in this recipe for two reasons. First, it is widely available in Japanese and Asian markets, as well as mainstream grocery stores. Second, the flavor profile complements this recipe well. If you have other types of miso, you can certainly use them (I use various miso for this recipe as well). Just remember that each brand and type of miso has a different level of saltiness, so adjust the amount accordingly.

Soy sauce: I use organic kikkoman soy sauce. Please note that Chinese and Korean soy sauces have slightly different tastes.If you plan to cook more Japanese food, consider getting Japanese soy sauce.

Sake: I use a $5-8 drinking sake and do not use a cooking sake that contains other ingredients, like salt. Sake is an important ingredient in Japanese cooking (read why it's important here). If you don't have it at the moment, use Chinese rice wine or dry sherry.

Mirin: Just like sake, mirin is another important condiment for Japanese cooking. More about it in this post.

Roasted sesame oil: We just need a tiny bit for the aroma.

Garnish: Toasted black and white sesame seeds, and chopped green onion.

The Cooking Steps

1. Make the miso marinade and marinate the salmon for 1-2 hours.

2. Remove the marinade from the salmon and broil it.

3. Serve and enjoy!

How to Prep the Miso Salmon

It's a very easy recipe, but make sure to read the following tips to make Miso Salmon successfully on the first try!

1. Use skin-on salmon. Don't remove the skin. It will prevent the flesh from overcooking and drying out. You don't have to eat it, but keep it on!

2. Remove small bones and scales from the skin before marinating. This would make your dinner more enjoyable, especially when you serve it to young children or to your dinner guests.

3. Cut the salmon into individual fillets. Smaller fillets marinate and cook quickly!

4. Marinade for 1-2 hours. For a salmon fillet less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, you can marinate for up to 2 hours. For thick salmon, you can marinate for up to 3 hours. I don't recommend marinating overnight because miso is quite salty.

5. Remove the miso marinade completely. When cooking miso-marinated food, regardless if it's fish or meat, you must remove the marinade completely because miso burns very easily. Plenty of flavors have been already absorbed into the salmon. If you still want a nice glaze, cook the remaining marinade with water over the stove and drizzle the sauce over the cooked salmon.

Broiling Tips

If you've been baking salmon all this time, I highly recommend trying the broiling method.

When you broil fish, the infrared energy from the heating element cooks the fish. Broiling is a much faster cooking method, resulting in beautifully browned fish that stays juicy and never dries out!

However, it's important to exercise caution when broiling, as the miso, fresh herbs, and other garnishes are prone to burning. Keep a close eye on the food to prevent burning.

1. Use a heavy baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Avoid using parchment paper, as it can burn under the broiler. I recommend brushing or spraying oil on the foil to prevent the skin from sticking after the salmon is done cooking. You can then use a metal spatula to separate the skin from the foil. Once cooked, the salmon's flesh can be easily separated from the skin by gently nudging and scooping it up with a spatula.

2. Set the oven rack placed in the center position, 9 inches (23 cm) away from the top heating element.

3. Set the broiler to high (550ºF/288ºC). My current oven comes with 3 settings (low, medium, and high), but my previous oven did not have a medium setting. Since each oven is different, make sure to control the heat by adjusting the distance of the rack. If you're new to broiling, you might want to start with a medium setting or keep more distance from the heating element and gradually cook.

4. Adjust the cooking by controlling the distance between the broiler and the surface of the food. Unlike baking, you don't control the temperature in the oven. Broiling is similar to using hotter and cooler zones on your grill.

5. Test if the salmon is cooking by flaking the flesh. If it flakes easily, it's cooked through.

🙋🏻‍♀️ If your oven doesn't come with a broiler setting, I included the baking method in the recipe card.

How Long Do You Broil Salmon?

Please remember that the broiling time depends entirely on your broiler's settings, the distance of the rack from the heating element, and the thickness of the salmon fillets.

When I buy salmon fillets, I always opt for skin-on, center-cut fillets that are less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. And make sure all the fillets are of the same thickness, each weighing roughly 6 ounces (170 g). After marinating the salmon in the refrigerator, it takes 10-13 minutes to broil.

How Do You Know When Salmon is Done?

You can tell when salmon is cooked when the flesh of the salmon goes from translucent to opaque, and the salmon flakes easily with a fork, chopsticks, or by pressing on the fish.

If the fish looks dry, you've probably cooked it a bit too long. When salmon is overcooked, you may notice white protein (known as albumin) coming out from the fish. While you can't undo it, the salmon is still edible, albeit a little dry.

Useful Kitchen Tools

The best method is to use a meat probe thermometer (that comes with your oven) or an instant-read thermometer, especially when the salmon fillets are very thick. With the right tool, you don't need to guess if the salmon is cooked to the right temperature: It's perfect every single time.

A probe thermometer allows you to track the temperature of your chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. in the oven as they cook so you don't have to repeatedly open the oven door to test.

An instant-read thermometer is a lot more versatile. You can check the temperature of your deep-frying oil and pan-fried fish or steak.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Wait, you said to cook the salmon until an internal temperature of 125-130°F (52-54ºC). I thought we had to cook it to 145°F (63ºC).
The USDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145°F (63ºC); however, the remaining heat will continue to cook the salmon, resulting in well-overcooked fish. There are many discussions online on this topic, and many reputable cooking websites do recommend cooking the salmon to 120-130ºF (49-54ºC).
Q: Can I marinate the salmon overnight?
Miso is quite salty, so I don't recommend marinating the salmon overnight, especially if the fillet is thin. Also, to marinate the salmon evenly, I recommend cutting a one-pound salmon fillet into two to four pieces. One to two hours is my recommendation. If you feel it's not flavorful enough, please adjust it to your liking.

Bake vs. Broil Methods

In case you're curious, I summarized the differences between broiling and baking fish, and which type of fish is suitable for broiling or baking for your future reference.

Broiling Method

When you broil fish, the infrared energy from the heating element cooks the fish. You don't control the temperature in the oven; instead, you control the distance between the broiler and the surface of the food.
Fish suitable for broiling:

Fatty fish-salmon (thin-cut; under 1 inch or 2.5 cm), mackerel, and swordfish

Moderately lean fish-cod, haddock (should be brushed with oil before broiled)

Thin fish fillet-Japanese fish cut is often very thin (sold at Japanese supermarkets)

Baking Method

When you bake fish, hot air cooks the fish. The heat is carried through your oven by slow-moving natural currents of hot air, which is why baking takes a relatively long time and makes the fish surface a bit dry (see the image above). But it is more hands-off as you do not need to pay attention constantly.
Fish suitable for baking:

Fatty fish-salmon (thick and fatty cut), mackerel, and swordfish

Whole fish

Thick and large fish fillets

Lean and fragile fish-sole

What to Serve with Miso Salmon

For a hearty yet wholesome family dinner, I enjoy serving Miso Salmon with Ginger Rice. The rich flavor of miso-marinated salmon is lovely when matched with the aromatic ginger-infused rice.

Here are other delicious side dishes that you can serve with Miso Salmon.

Other Delicious Salmon Recipes

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Miso Salmon

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on September 2, 2014. The post has been updated with revised, clear instructions (still the same recipe) with new step-by-step pictures, final photos, and video on November 17, 2023.

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This Miso Salmon is a magical weeknight meal! Marinated in a sweet and savory miso sauce, the fillets are broiled to perfection.

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I love to make this caramelized ground pork and then put it on anything -- in a bowl, in a "burrito," in fried rice. It is just so good. I also love Nagi's site, Recipe Tin Eats, in general! I find it to be accessible to cook, but authentic to the cuisines she writes about. (I am not Vietnamese, but do love Vietnamese food!)

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Here's a super fast pork stir fry made with pork mince (ground pork) infused with flavours from the streets of Vietnam. With just a handful of ingredients you probably already have, it's sweet, salty, beautifully caramelised and absolutely irresistible. It's the quick and easy version of Vietnamese Caramel Pork, a famous Vietnamese food speciality!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook "Dinner"!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook "Dinner"!

Vietnamese stir fry - Pork Mince recipe

Ground pork - which we call "mince" here in Australia - is extremely good value.

It's also just about the least sexy protein I know. Don't you think? A dry aged piece of New York strip is sexy. Quail is gourmet. Oysters are....well, we've all heard that oysters are an aphrodisiac, right? 😉

Mince is...well, it just isn't fancy. And yet, it makes it into my shopping trolley every single week because it's such good value and so versatile. Sure, there are the usual suspects you can make with mince. Bolognese, meatballs, burgers, Meatloaf, Shepherds Pie - to name a few of the more common ones.

But sometimes, it's nice to do something a little different. Like this Vietnamese pork stir fry.

The crazy thing about this pork mince recipe is that the ingredients list is so short. Chili, garlic, ginger, sugar and fish sauce. That's it. Seriously!

Can I make this pork stir fry with chicken or beef mince?

Yes! This is fabulous made with chicken, beef and turkey!

"This is a terrific ground pork recipe that tastes and sounds so exotic.... yet it's so easy!"
The secret to this ground pork is the caramelisation. It is rare to see recipes made with ground meat that are cooked this way so the meat is caramelised.

But those golden brown bits you see - they are the crowning glory in this recipe that takes it from a rather unappetising pale brown-grey colour to a golden brown pile of deliciousness that you will want to eat with a spoon straight out of the skillet. (Go on - you deserve it - cook's privileges!)

What you need

Short list - see? I didn't exaggerate!!

Lemongrass is optional - it's not a pantry staple and also it's not an ingredient in traditional Vietnamese Caramel Pork. But lemongrass flavour is certainly at home in this dish!

How to make this Vietnamese pork mince stir fry

This pork mince stir fry comes together as quickly as any stir fry. Once you start cooking, you'll be done in 6 minutes flat.

Authentic Vietnamese roots

I am not 1000% sure that this is strictly authentic Vietnamese but the combination of ingredients I use most certainly are and it is my replica of dishes I have tried at Vietnamese restaurants here in Australia. It is an adaptation of the marinade I use in my Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Bowl and essentially the quick version of Vietnamese Caramel Pork, a famous Vietnamese food speciality.

How to serve it

Serve this pork stir fry over rice and eat it with a spoon! This pork mince recipe doesn't have a sauce, but you don't need it because the flavour is intensified and the pork mince mixes all through the rice which flavour it.

To complete your meal, try these:

A fresh side salad like this Asian Slaw;

Add a side of cucumber and tomato wedges, pictured (very classic South East Asian way to add vegetables to a meal); or

Shredded lettuce, cucumber and carrots which makes it more like the classic Vietnamese Noodle Bowls.

Make my Vietnamese Chicken Salad but without the chicken for a fresh, slaw-like salad side.

PS For a healthy low carb option try Cauliflower Rice - 77% fewer calories and 87% less carbs than rice.
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
Watch how to make it

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!

Get your Vietnamese fix!

More quick pork mince recipes

Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Recipe video above. An exciting way to use ground meat (mince) to make a quick stir fry that taste unbelievable! This is great made with chicken, turkey or pork. It also works with beef though it is better made with "white meats". Serve it over rice or vermicelli noodles to make rice bowls with shredded lettuce, carrots and cucumbers on the side (very classic Vietnamese meal!).

**NOTE: If you reduce sugar then the pork will not caramelise as well and it will take longer to get colour on it!**

Sauté - Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chili and cook for 2 minutes.

Cook pork - Add the pork mince and cook for 2 minutes or so until white all over, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.

Add sauce & caramelise - Add the sugar and fish sauce. Stir, then leave it to cook without touching until all the juices cook out and the pork starts caramelised - about 2 minutes. Then stir it and leave it again, without stirring, for around 30 seconds to get more caramelisation. Repeat twice more until caramelised to your taste.

Serve over jasmine or other rice, or vermicelli noodles, garnished with sliced green onion. For a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! I like to have chunks of plain cucumber and carrots on the side which is a classic way of making Vietnamese bowls.

Serving:

1. Birds eye chilis are small red chilis that are usually around 3 to 4cm (1.5 - 2″) long. They are very spicy! You can substitute with any chili you want, or even exclude it if you are making this for kids. Just adjust to your taste.

This dish is great to serve with sriracha on the side so people can add the amount of heat they want.

2. Other meat - recipe works great with chicken and turkey too. Beef will also work well.

3. Lemongrass is a lovely and very traditional Vietnamese herb used in dishes like this. 1 stalk, white part only, very VERY finely chopped. Add it into the skillet with the garlic.

If you have lemongrass paste (see ingredient photo in post), add it with the brown sugar.

4. Nutrition is for the pork stir fry only, excludes the rice and assumes you use a lean pork (10% fat).

Keywords: Ground pork recipe, ground pork stir fry, Pork mince recipe, pork mince stir fry

I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published November 2015. Updated September 2019 with new writing, some new photos, brand new video and most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!

Life of Dozer

Dozer on the wrong side of the counter at the pet shop!!!

(PS yes you spy cat treats, buying a present for a friend!)

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Garlic, ginger, chili, fish sauce and brown sugar is all you need to make this incredible Vietnamese pork mince recipe! Super quick pork stir fry.

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Upma is the comfort food of my childhood. My grandma still cooks it for breakfast when our family is together, and everyone from toddlers to adults eats it up. If you like a savory breakfast, give this a try!

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Rava Upma Recipe | How to make Rava Upma - Raks Kitchen

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Rava Upma recipe, this is the simplest, humble breakfast recipe that can be made in a jiffy, easy even for beginners in cooking.

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Back home in San Francisco, the Japanese Buddhist Church raised funds by selling an annual recipe book. This salad is a recipe that my mom would make for every potluck, holiday, etc. It's even easier and less expensive to make now because I buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage and I use a rotisserie chicken from Costco.

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Tinolang Manok (Filipino chicken soup dish)

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Tinolang Manok (Filipino chicken soup dish)

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For me, Tinolang Manok or Chicken Tinola is my go-to Filipino comfort food dish, good for cold or rainy days. This dish includes chicken, green papaya, ginger, garlic, and malunggay leaves. My dad is the cook in our household and makes this often during colder days. He substitutes the malunggay leaves with spinach. Hope you all can try it out. 😊 I provided a vegan recipe as well.

Chicken Tinola Recipe

Vegan "Chicken" Tinola Recipe

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Chicken Tinola is a Filipino soup dish. It involves cooking chicken pieces in ginger broth. It is a popular cold weather dish. I always feel warm and cozy every time I eat it. This Filipino Chicken Soup is best enjoyed with fish sauce as dipping sauce, and a cup of warm white rice.

Tinola is traditionally cooked with wedges of unripe papaya and malunggay leaves. These components make it a good source of nutrients. The secret in making a good tinola is to simmer the chicken for longer periods of time. This extracts the flavor from the chicken. It also makes the chicken tender in the process.

How to Cook Chicken Tinola

This recipe for tinola is simple and straightforward. I highly recommend this to beginners.

Start by sauteeing onion, garlic, and ginger. Do this by heating oil in a cooking pot. Add onion and garlic. You can put either of the ingredients first, followed by the strips of ginger. Make sure to saute these until the onion softens. You are almost done when you start to smell the good scent of the aromatics that you are cooking. The scent slowly fills the kitchen and it can linger for a while.

Add chicken pieces. The size of each piece does not matter. It depends on your preference. Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes or until it turns light brown. You may even saute longer if desired. I am adding a bit of fish sauce during this step to provide initial flavor to the dish. You can opt to add this ingredient towards the end of the cooking process.

This chicken tinola recipe makes use of rice washing for the soup. It refers to the water used to wash the rice. Let me quickly describe the steps on how this is done. Rice needs to be cleaned before cooking. This involves pouring water on a rice cooker or pot where the rice will be cooked and stirring everything until starch goes off from the outer part of the rice. The starchy water is what we call rice washing. Simply drain the water from pot and use it for your tinola. Let it boil, cover the pot and simmer or you can also boil in low heat for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken tenderizes. This is also the step wherein you can add chicken cube or chicken powder to further enhance the flavor of the soup.

Add the papaya once the chicken gets tender. Boil it for 5 minutes, and then add hot pepper leaves, or malunggay leaves. You are almost done.

The last part is to season your chicken tinola with either salt or fish sauce, and ground black pepper. The amount of ingredients will depend on your preference.

There are variations of chicken tinola that I enjoy eating. Have you tried Tinolang Manok sa Gata ? This version makes use of coconut milk. It is rich, creamy, and worthy of your time.

Chicken Tinola Alternative Ingredients

It is best to use bone-in chicken for this dish. You can remove the skin from the chicken to reduce fat. Boneless and skinless chicken breast or thigh can also be used.

Green papaya is commonly used to cook tinola. There are times when this is not available especially if you live outside of the Philippines. You can use chayote or sayote as an alternative to papaya.

It is always best to use malunggay when it is available. However, there are also healthy alternatives to it. For example, this recipe calls for hot pepper leaves or dahoon ng sili. Spinach is also a good substitute.

Try this Chicken Tinola Recipe. Let me know what you think.

Chicken Tinola Recipe

Watch How to Cook Chicken Tinola

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Chicken Tinola is a Filipino soup dish. It involves cooking chicken pieces in ginger broth. It is a popular cold weather dish. I always feel warm and cozy every time I eat it. This Filipino Chicken Soup is best enjoyed with fish sauce as dipping sauce, and a cup of warm white rice.

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Thịt Kho (Vietnamese Braised Pork with Eggs)

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Thịt Kho (Vietnamese Braised Pork with Eggs)

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This recipe is really close to the version my mom made for me growing up! It's a comfort food through and through, and quite similar to the Filipino dish, pork adobo. My favorite part are the eggs - make sure to move them into a cold ice bath as soon as they're done boiling to make them easier to peel!

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This Vietnamese thịt kho recipe is a low and slow braise with suuuper tender and flavorful pork, with hard-boiled eggs that have absorbed all the seasoning too. It's traditionally served around the lunar new year because of how well it keeps after cooking.

It's savory, salty, and slightly sweet seasoned mainly with fish sauce and soy sauce paired with hard-boiled eggs. Served atop a large mound of steamed white rice, and a side of pickled mustard greens, these are the flavors and memories of my childhood.

The pan-asian pork & egg dish

This dish is seen in very slightly modded variations across other ethnic cuisines, not just Vietnamese. I've seen variations in Japanese food, Chinese food, and Taiwanese food. In fact, it's extremely similar to the recipes I have for Filipino pork adobo and chicken adobo.

I don't know the actual connection-why all these Asian cuisines have this. Perhaps is the readily available and common ingredients for a simple recipe. It keeps well, and is delicious too.

Cuts of meat to use

If you can get pork belly with the bones, you'll have even better results than just belly, but you can also substitute for whatever cut you prefer especially if you like it leaner. My ideal ratio of pork for this dish is actually 3/4 pork belly and 1/4 of a leaner cut like shoulder.

Pork belly and fat is tasty, but sometimes when the fat to meat ratio isnt right in it, im left with just hunks of fat and nothing to balance it out with. If you pay close attention when selecting the cuts with a ratio you like, it could work out.

Near me in Southern California's Little Saigon, you can get a higher quality of pork belly at Quang Minh Mini Market. It costs more, but there seems to be a consensus that its worth the cost-something I need to check out! However, I'm having excellent thit kho results from using nearby Vietnamese and Filipino supermarkets in the meantime.

The seasoning & sauce

Here are the brands I use for the seasoning: Rico coconut soda, Kikkoman soy sauce, and Three Crabs Brand fish sauce. The thick soy sauce brand is Koon Chun, to be used in a pinch for color, but you really should be making your own simple caramel coloring (nuoc mau).

Sides & how to serve

As a kid I enjoyed separating parts of this dish, mashing the yolk with the rice and spooning sauce over it. My cousins were always requesting grandma to make this dish, and even as they grew older. They'd request this dish with "extra sauce" for y'all salt fiends. It is an easy and effective way to stretch the dish with more rice too.

This dish is commonly eaten with a side of dua chua (pickled mustard greens) which provides a fresh and crunchy balance. Any kind of salty meat like this pairs well with a pungent, vinegary pickle.

Cooking notes

I have tried adding slices of yellow onion too and it adds a nice layer of flavor to this dish. You can remove the onion at the end of the braise if you prefer since it will have given up all its flavor to the broth.

Adjust the seasoning again after the liquid has reduced to a consistency you like: tinker with the soy sauce, fish sauce, and salt again to taste and write it down so you know what to do next time. This dish scales very well too if you want to make larger quantities for the family. I love the eggs with this, personally, at almost a 1:1 ratio so it's hard to have too many.

Egg upgrade. If you're feeling extra fancy, instead of boiling these for hard yolks, you can follow the steps on my ramen egg recipe for gooey, jammy yolks instead, and marinate in the sauce in this recipe before serving the eggs.

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Thịt Kho Recipe - Vietnamese Braised Pork with Eggs

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This Vietnamese thịt kho recipe is a low and slow braise with suuuper tender and flavorful pork, with hard-boiled eggs that have absorbed all the seasoning too. It's traditionally served around the lunar new year because of how well it keeps after cooking.

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(I haven't used this recipe but posting this for the picture and general idea) Growing up my mom would sometimes buy a live catfish from 99 ranch market and steam it with soy sauce and scallions! It's really good. I love spooning the fishy soy sauce liquid onto rice.

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Cantonese steamed fish is a traditional, simple dish often served as one of the final courses in a Chinese wedding banquet (right before the last rice and noodle course).

That said, it's also a dish that can be found on home dinner tables on any old weeknight. That's how you know it's not just easy...it's really delicious.

All you need is a few simple ingredients that can probably already be found in your own pantry and refrigerator. Come to think of it, I'd never written the recipe down before this. We've made it so many times that everyone in the family can make it in their sleep.

You'll get the hang of it quickly too. It's such an easy and delicious way to prepare fish.

Note: This recipe was originally published in October 2013. While we haven't changed the recipe, we have updated it with new photos, clearer and more detailed instructions, metric measurements, and a video! Enjoy!
What If I Don't Have a Wok or Steamer?

The traditional way to steam fish (or any food) is with a wok, steaming rack, and lid, or a wok and a bamboo steamer.

Many restaurants have the luxury of using steam ovens or large multi-level steamers, but the most flexible steaming tool is still a large wok, especially if you are steaming a large fish or filet. For more ideas and tips on steaming, see our post on Chinese Steaming Techniques.

As you'll see in that post, not having a steamer or wok is ok. You can simply use a large pot or deep skillet with a lid. With that, you can either use a steaming rack or an empty tuna can in 1-2 inches of water. Voila! You have a steaming setup.

Check out our Chinese cooking tools page for more information on tools you need for steamed dishes. In particular, check out some of the simple plate lifting gadget that can make your life easier when handling hot plates!

How Long Do You Steam Fish?

Steaming fish goes pretty quickly, especially with the fish fillets we're using in this recipe.

If you're looking to make a whole fish, check out our comprehensive recipe for Chinese Steamed Whole Fish. As with any protein, bones extend cooking times, so it can be a bit trickier to determine when your fish is done.

Even with fish fillets, though, steaming time will still vary based on the type, size, and thickness of your fillet.

For small, thin filets, your fish may cook in as little time as 4-5 minutes. Thicker, larger filets will take longer.

So, how do you know when your steamed fish is done? Simply use a dull butter knife to gently pierce the thickest part of the filet. The fish is done when the butter knife falls through the fish easily, without resistance.

It's best to check the fish earlier and keep steaming for an additional 1-2 minutes if needed. Avoid overcooking the fish, as it can get tough or rubbery!

What Type of Fish is Best for Steaming?

The Chinese love to steam whole fish, especially the older generation of folks who consider the fish head and belly the best parts! But preparing, cooking, and serving whole fish has its challenges, so many choose the easier fillet option.

Note: if you'd like to do the whole fish version of this recipe, head to our Cantonese Steamed Whole Fish post for a complete tutorial on how to cook and serve it. Fresh whole striped bass or black seabass are great options for that one!

Choosing the type of fish filet to cook obviously depends on availability and freshness, but just about any delicate white fish is a good choice.

Avoid oily and firm fish like bluefish, mackerel or swordfish. Instead, any of the following will work:

We used a haddock fillet for this post:

The best source for fresh fillets is from your trusted fishmonger, but flash-frozen fish from the supermarket will also work.

For those of you lucky enough to live near convenient ocean fishing, this is a great recipe for a delicate fresh-caught fish like fluke or flounder, black seabass or blackfish. See our deep sea fishing fun during our Montauk family trip.

Even cod is a good fish for steaming if it's fresh, especially when you have an expert like Judy catching nice-sized cod on our Prince Edward Island RV Getaway. Another noteworthy recipe where we use fillets is our Hunan Steamed Fish with Salted Chilies and Tofu or Duo Jiao Yu, which uses stronger spicier flavors. It's one of our favorite recipes. We also have a Hunan-style whole steamed tilapia with tofu.

Important Recipe Tips!

1. Every time we make this steamed fish, the aromatics and sauce are just as popular as the fish itself when served with rice. If you feel the same way, increase all the ingredients by 50% or even double for the same 10 ounce filet.

2. If you have a larger fish filet, increase other ingredients proportionally.

3. Note that the recipe calls for cooking some of the scallions and ginger while leaving some of them raw. This is intentional-the mix of fresh ingredients and cooked ingredients adds complexity!

4. You can choose to put the raw aromatics on before adding the sauce, or after. If placing the raw aromatics on top of the cooked sauce, you can heat another tablespoon of vegetable oil and pour the hot oil over them to add extra flavor and an added element of presentation at the table Just be careful when handling the hot oil. Check out the recipe video in this post to see this technique in action.

Cantonese Steamed Fish: Recipe Instructions

Cut the scallions into 2-inch lengths, and cut the pieces in half lengthwise. Julienne them thinly. Thinly slice about 15g of ginger, and julienne them. Give the cilantro a rough chop. Remove about 1/3 of each of the aromatics, and put on a separate plate. Set aside.

Combine the light soy sauce, salt, sugar and hot water in a measuring cup or small bowl, and mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.

Prepare your steaming set-up. You can use a metal tiered steamer, or a wok/deep skillet/pot, as long as it has a lid. Simply place a small round metal elevated rack (or even an empty tuna can) at the bottom for the plate to sit on, and fill with 1-2 inches of water.

Bring to a boil. (See our post on how to set up a steamer if you're not familiar with steaming foods in Chinese cooking.)

Rinse your fish fillet, and carefully lay it on an oblong heat-proof plate that will fit into your wok or steaming setup. Carefully place it in the steamer, and adjust the heat to medium.

The water should be at a slow boil that generates a good amount of steam, but not so high that the water evaporates too quickly.

Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes depending upon the size and thickness of your fish fillet. If you have extremely small, thin fillets (half an inch), cook for 4-5 minutes. Check for doneness using a butter knife. If it falls easily through the thickest part of the fillet to the bottom of the plate, the fish is done.

Turn off the heat, and carefully drain any liquid on the plate.

Spread about ⅓ of the scallions, ginger, and cilantro on the steamed fish (alternatively, you can wait to do this AFTER adding the sauce).

To make the sauce, heat a wok or small saucepan to medium high heat, and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

Add the remaining ⅔ of the ginger, and fry for 1 minute.

Add the white parts of the scallions and cook for 30 seconds.

Then add rest of the scallions and cilantro. The mixture should be sizzling.

Add the soy sauce mixture.

Bring the mixture to a bubble, and cook until the scallions and cilantro are just wilted, about 30 seconds.

Pour this mixture over the fish.

If you prefer to add the raw aromatics after adding the sauce, you can do so now, and heat an additional 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to pour over the raw aromatics.

Be careful when pouring the hot oil over the raw ginger, scallions, and cilantro. The aromatics should sizzle and release their fragrance.

Serve your Cantonese Steamed Fish immediately! Lots of steamed white rice is a must.

Watch Video!

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Cantonese Steamed Fish

Cantonese steamed fish is often served as one of the courses in a Chinese banquet, but it's also an easy meal to make on any weeknight at home with just a few ingredients.

Cut the scallions into 2-inch lengths, and cut the pieces in half lengthwise. Julienne them thinly. Thinly slice about 15g of ginger, and julienne them. Give the cilantro a rough chop. Set the aromatics aside.

Combine the light soy sauce, salt, sugar and hot water in a small bowl and mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.

Prepare your steaming set-up, and fill with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil.

Rinse your fish fillet, and carefully lay it on an oblong heat-proof plate that will fit into your wok or steaming setup. Carefully place it in the steamer, and adjust the heat to medium. The water should be at a slow boil that generates a good amount of steam, but not so high that the water evaporates too quickly.

Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes depending upon the size and thickness of your fish fillet. If you have extremely small, thin fillets (half an inch), cook for 4-5 minutes. Check for doneness using a butter knife. If it falls easily through the thickest part of the fillet to the bottom of the plate, the fish is done.

Turn off the heat, and carefully drain any liquid on the plate. Spread about ⅓ of the scallions, ginger, and cilantro on the steamed fish (alternatively, you can wait to do this AFTER adding the sauce).

To make the sauce, heat a wok or small saucepan to medium high heat, and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the remaining ⅔ of the ginger, and fry for 1 minute. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook for 30 seconds.Then add rest of the scallions and cilantro. The mixture should be sizzling.

Add the soy sauce mixture. Bring the mixture to a bubble, and cook until the scallions and cilantro are just wilted, about 30 seconds.

Pour this mixture over the fish. If you prefer to add the raw aromatics after adding the sauce, you can do so now, and heat an additional 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to pour over the raw aromatics. Serve immediately!

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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Cantonese Steamed Fish: A 20 Minute Recipe

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Cantonese steamed fish is often served at Chinese banquets, but it's also an easy recipe to make on any weeknight with just a few ingredients.

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Dump a whole jar of these seasoned nametake mushrooms in fresh cooked rice, along with a jar of wakame ochazuke seasoning and a lot of thawed edamame (shelled)

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Dosa is a thin and crispy South Indian crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter, and is served with a variety of sides like coconut chutney, sambar, and potato masala. It's the perfect combination of savory, spicy, crunchy, and soupy flavors and textures. Highly recommend!!!

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Our family uses apple cider vinegar and doesn't use sugar. We measure with our hearts (half the height of the adobo in the pot filled with vinegar and shoyu and the rest covered in water). When my grandpa moved to New Mexico (by way of Hawaii by way of Phillipines) he mixed chopped roasted green chile with tomatoes and fish sauce that went perfectly with this dish and rice.

Growing up in NM and with most of our Filipino family still living in Hawaii, food is our primary connection to my late mother and her late parents. But I love how the green chile dish reflects the innovation and adaptability of my grandparents.

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Ever since I discovered the wonders of Chicken Adobo (check out our chicken adobo recipe here), it was just a matter of time before I "adobo-ized" something else.

What Is Filipino Adobo?

Adobo is really a kind of cooking method, originating in the Philippines, which involves simmering meat and even seafood in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic.

The result is a tangy, savory, and ever so slightly sweet dish that changes slightly with whatever protein you decide to cook. In this case, I decided to make pork adobo, and once again, we all agreed that this mixture of flavors is a definite winner.

A Quick Recipe Note

This is a super short post, and a super short recipe, because while this Pork Adobo dish does take some time to simmer on the stove, it only takes a few minutes to throw together!

A quick cooking tip before we get on with the recipe: If you don't want the black peppercorns free-floating in your pork adobo, you can place them (along with the bay leaf) in a piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen string.

This flavor packet (the fancy word for it is sachet) can then be easily removed before serving.

Pork Adobo Recipe Instructions

In a medium dutch oven or pot over medium high heat, add the oil and sear the pork until browned on all sides.

Add the vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns, sugar, and water, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the cover and continue simmering for another 30 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Serve over rice!

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Ever since I discovered the wonders of Chicken Adobo (check out our chicken adobo recipe here), it was just a matter of time before I "adobo-ized" something else. Adobo is really a kind of cooking method, originating in the Philippines, which involves simmering meat and even seafood in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic.

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Not a picture of my mom's actual wings. 

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My mom made teriyaki chicken wings for any occasion where they would be eaten outside of our house or in front of the TV. Potlucks, road trips, and Niner games were all occasions that called for teriyaki chicken wings. They can be eaten right out of the oven or after days in the fridge -- anytime yum (within reason, of course, but the salt/sugar content acts an effective preservative). Stickier than what you find in Japan, but less cornstarch-laden than what you get in most restaurants, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser. Equal parts white sugar (some use brown), shoyu, minced garlic, ginger, and a splash of mirin. Marinate wings for up to a day, then put in oven -- you can broil at the end if you like charged edges like I do.

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Chai (not chai tea, because thats saying "tea tea" :/) is a must! I start my day with a homemade cup of chai or cha as said in Punjabi. My recipe is simple and passed down from my mom: black loose tea, cane sugar, green cardamom and fennel seeds, with an addition of fresh ginger when the mood strikes, and whole milk. But some folks like it extra spicy with a range of additions. It's easy to make at home and much tastier than anything available in the coffee shops, not to mention less expensive! Enjoy :)

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Masala Chai also known as Masala Tea is India's most popular drink and is loved by everyone. Imagine the flavors of brewing - sweet, spicy, hot and aromatic spices with sugar, milk and tea... Amazing Right? This Indian Masala Chai is just that - amazingly flavorsome, delicious and totally relaxing.

A hot cup of Masala Chai is an amazing way to soothe your senses and refresh your mind. In this post I share the method to make a perfect cup of Indian Masala Chai at home!! (from scratch).

A lot of Indians love to sip their Masala Chai all-round the year along with their breakfast and evening snack. Some limit it to monsoons & cold winters because it keeps the body warm and helps break up the blocked sinus.

Many different kinds of tea are made across the world and each one has its own properties so they have different health benefits.

About Masala Chai

Masala Chai is an Indian beverage made by brewing black tea with fragrant spices, sugar and milk. In Hindi the word "Masala" means "spices" and "Chai" means "Tea".

So Masala Chai also known as CHAI TEA by the non-natives, is Indian milk tea brewed with aromatic spices. There are also versions where aromatic herbs like mint (pudina) and Tulsi (holy basil) are added to it.

Chai is usually served with biscuits, rusk, Onion Pakora, and Sandwiches.

Every Indian family may have their own recipe to make Masala Tea. The combination of spices, the quantity of milk, water and the kind of tea to use - is a personal choice & this is what decides the strength, flavor and taste of your Masala Chai.

In this post I share the way I make at home & it closely matches the flavors of masala chai available in good Standard Indian restaurants. It can be made in so many flavors all to suit your liking. So you can also easily customize this recipe to your taste.

There are 2 basic ways a Masala Chai is made. I have shared both the ways here in this post. The first method is to make it instantly with just 3 to 4 basic spices. They are crushed and then simmered with tea & water. Later you just add milk and simmer further. We don't need any other tea masala for this.

The second one is great if you wish to enjoy Masala Chai regularly or often. To make this, whole spices are ground in a spice grinder and stored. Making your cup of Masala Chai is super easy with this, add it to your everyday milk tea and simmer for some time so flavors of masala are infused.

Masala Chai Vs Chai Latte

Is Masala Chai same as Chai Latte? A lot of people think both are same! But actually Masala Chai (Tea) and Chai Latte are not the same.

Masala Chai has a tea decoction and milk simmered together so the milk is fully infused with the flavors of chai and spices. But Chai Latte is made by simply pouring the chai/tea decoction to a serving cup and then topped with frothy milk.

Both taste & smell very different even though they are made from the same chai decoction. Masala Chai has a stronger karak/kadak flavor due the simmering of milk with decoction, while Chai Latte tastes lighter with a milky aroma because it is simply milk flavored with chai decoction.

Lastly the ratio of milk in both these is different.

How to choose your Black Tea

Traditionally masala chai is made with loose tea leaves but now most people use processed black tea which is in granular or powder form. There are basically 2 different kinds of processed tea in the market - CTC and Tea dust.

CTC tea is produced by processing tea leaves through cylindrical rollers to Crush, Tear and Curl them, the resulting processed tea is in a granular or pellet form. This CTC tea imparts bolder and robost flavors to your masala chai along with a deep brown color.

Tea dust is another kind of processed tea which is finer and is almost in powder form. Apart from these you can also make masala tea with black tea bags which contains the same tea dust.

In India tea is grown largely in 3 regions and each is named after the region - Assam tea, Darjeeling tea and Nilgiri tea. Each of these have a different flavour, strength and taste due to the soil profile, weather and region.

In South India, Nilgiri tea is more commonly used and everywhere else it is the Assam tea that is more popular. Again it is a personal choice and you need to try out a few until you find something that you really love.

Types of Tea

Assam tea is loved for its deep color and strong flavour. If you love strong tea known as kadak chai, this may be the one for you. Darjeeling tea is well known for fruity flavour. Nilgiri tea has a fruity flavour of the Darjeeling tea and strong bold flavors like Assam tea.

Nilgiri tea won't leave any astringent taste even if it is brewed for longer as they contain very little tannins. So it is suitable to those who like to make strong chai by simmering the tea with spices and milk for longer.

In a lot of places in South India, you will find tea being simmered for too long to get that full-bodied strong tea. It tastes really so good with just a little amount of milk in it. So if you prefer simmering your tea for longer then go with Nilgiri.

If you don't live in India, then use any strong black tea you like.

Choosing other ingredients

Spices - The basic and most common spices used in masala tea are green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. The other optional spices are black pepper, ginger, fennel seeds, nutmeg and star anise. Each spice has its own health benefits. To know more scroll down to read my pro tips section.

Milk - The quantity of milk to add depends on your personal taste and the kind of milk used. Too much milk in your tea can completely alter the taste of your tea and can cause acidity.

Masala chai with too little milk will also not taste good and will be watery. An ideal ratio of water to milk can range from 1:1 to 3:1 depending on the kind of milk - homogenized, non-homogenized, toned and raw milk . In India a lot of people use raw water buffalo milk which is thicker than the regular cow milk so 3:1 is the common ratio.

I have provided more details in the notes section of the recipe card.

Sweetener - Traditionally unrefined sweetener known as jaggery is used. It is a personal choice and we love ours with cane sugar. You can also have it with any other sweetener of your choice. If using jaggery, coconut sugar or palm jaggery add them once you turn off the heat.

How to Make Masala Chai (Stepwise photos)

Method 1 - Make Black Tea

Crush the Spices

1. To make instant masala chai, add the following whole spices (masala) to a small mortar pestle or spice grinder.

2 to 3 cloves (2 for milder flavor)

½ to ¾ cinnamon (Cassia or Ceylon)

4 green cardamoms

2 pepper corn (optional, or a pinch of ground pepper)

2. Crush them fine (or slightly coarse is okay) to bring out the flavors.

Make Masala Tea

3. Add the following ingredients to a sauce pot:

1½ to 1¾ cups water

2½ to 3½ teaspoons CTC Tea or 1¼ to 1½ teaspoon powder (dust), depending on the brand. You can use more or less depending on the kind of tea you are using. Or You can also use 3 to 4 tea bags. (Start with lower tea and if required add more after adding milk)

½ to ¾ teaspoon ginger (optional, peeled & chopped or grated)

Masala chai powder we just made above

4. Bring this to a rolling boil on a medium high flame & turn down to medium or low. Let the decoction boil for 2 to 3 mins.

5. Add sugar at this stage. I use 3 to 4 teaspoons. You can use as little or as much as you prefer. Pour 1 cup full fat milk to the simmering black tea. Adjust the quantity of milk as needed. Adding milk before boiling the ginger well will more likely curdle the milk. So ensure you add the milk only after boiling the ginger well with black tea.

If using tea bags, remove them from the pot and keep aside. Boiling the tea bags too long will leave a bitter taste. If your tea isn't strong enough, you may add more tea bags.

6. Bring the tea to a rolling boil and simmer on a medium heat until the tea turns dark, for 3 to 4 mins. Simmering helps the tea to thicken. I usually simmer until it reduces to 1¾ cups. Fresh holy basil (tulsi) or mint leaves can also be used for variations. You can taste test and add more milk if you prefer. But simmer again for a little longer so the tea doesn't have the milk flavor.

Aerate Masala Chai (optional)

7. As the chai boils, you will see a layer of cream on top. Turn off the heat. Pulled masala chai tastes best as the milk fats are dispersed during the process & you get the same taste as from a chaiwallah. Using a soup ladle pull or aerate the tea a few times.

If you do not have a soup ladle, simply pour some of the hot tea to a measuring cup (that has a handle) and pour that back to the chai pot in a slow stream, from a height of about 1½ feet. This should break down the layer of milk cream and create some froth. Repeat this steps of pulling tea from the pot to the measuring cup a few times (4 to 5 times) until all of the cream is broken down and incorporated back into the masala chai.

8. Lastly Strain/ filter masala chai tea to serving cups.

Serve Masala Chai hot or warm with biscuits.

Method 2 - Make Chai Masala Powder

1. This is the second method. If you drink masala tea regularly, you can make the masala chai powder in little larger quantity and store it in a glass jar. For quantities refer the recipe card below.

2. This will give you about 3 tsps powder.

3. To make masala tea, fresh ginger, tea powder or tea leaves, and ground spices are simmered in water to infuse the flavors. You can use the same quantities of water and milk mentioned in the recipe card.

Serve masala chai hot or warm.

What is masala chai made of?

Masala chai is made with black tea, spices, sugar and milk. It is basically black tea simmered with spices, sugar and milk. Various spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, nutmeg, black pepper and ginger are used.

What is the difference between chai and masala chai?

Chai is a generic term meaning 'tea' in Hindi, while masala chai means 'spiced tea'. Masala means 'spices' and chai means 'tea'.

Can I drink masala tea every day?

Yes a lot of Indians drink masala tea every day, round the year. But it depends on where you live and your body constitution. If you live in a hot and humid weather, reduce the warming spices like cloves and black pepper and increase the quantity of green cardamoms. Limit your consumption to 1 to 2 cups a day.

Why is my Masala tea watery (diluted)?

You have used too much water or too little milk. The right ratio of water to milk is very crucial to make a good chai. For best results, you will need anywhere from 1:1 to 3:1 ratios (W: M) depending on the kind of milk.
Full fat Homogenized, toned & raw cow milk work with 3:1 ratio while low fat and non-homogenized cow milk (pasteurized, pre-boiled) work with 1:1 ratio. However do experiment a few times to arrive at what works well for you.

Why is my tea bitter?

Using a lot of tea leaves or powder can make your tea bitter. The amount of tea to use again depends on the brand of tea and kind of milk you use. Try reducing the quantity of tea next time or add more milk and simmer for a while to cut down the bitterness.

Why did my masala tea curdle?

Most masala tea recipes use fresh ginger. If you use fresh ginger, always boil it first along with black tea, until the decoction reaches a boiling point. Add the milk only after that. Adding milk early before the ginger boils can curdle the milk due to ginger protease enzyme known as zingibain. Boiling the ginger to a boiling point will destroy this enzyme so your tea won't curdle.
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Recipe Card
Masala Chai Recipe first published in September 2014. Updated & Republished in May 2023.

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Masala Chai Recipe (Indian Masala Tea) - Swasthi's Recipes

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Masala chai cheers you up any time of the day! Also known as masala tea this is one of the popular beverages from India ..