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Cao Lau — traditional dish from Hoi An, Vietnam
Main course Meat

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥620kcal
💪40gProtein
🌾70gCarbs
🥑25gFat
🌿5gFibre
⚖️400 gServing

* Per serving · 400 g. May vary.

Allergens

🌾 Gluten

Also served in

Cao Lau

How to order / say it
Say it Cao Lầu — [Gow low]
Order I'd like the cao lau, please.
Locally Tôi muốn gọi món Cao Lầu, làm ơn.
Say locally

Pork noodle dish with a unique taste from Da Nang.

Why try it?

Cao Lau is a dish that represents the fusion of various cultural influences in Da Nang, incorporating Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese cooking techniques. Trying it offers a taste of the historical trade that shaped the city.

How it tastes

Cao Lau offers a complex flavor with rich umami from the broth, slight bitterness from the greens, and savory sweet pork. The noodles are thick with a chewy texture, complemented by crispy pork rinds.

Origin & History — first documented: 1600

Originating from the 17th century in the trading port of Hoi An, near Da Nang, Cao Lau is said to have been influenced by traders from different cultures. Initially a dish for the elite, its unique noodles are soaked in water from specific local wells.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🥩 200 g pork shoulder
  • 🌾 200 g rice noodles
  • 🥣 30 ml soy sauce
  • 🥕 100 g greens
  • 🥕 50 g bean sprouts
  • 🧄 10 g garlic
  • 🥩 500 ml pork broth
  • 🥩 50 g crispy pork skin

Method

  1. 1 Marinate pork in soy sauce and garlic.
  2. 2 Cook pork in a broth until tender.
  3. 3 Cook noodles in boiling water.
  4. 4 Serve noodles topped with pork, greens, sprouts, and crispy pork skin.
All Asia recipes — Vietnam — Hoi An — Cao Lau
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