Hai Phong Red Noodle Soup with Crab

Clean the pork neck bones thoroughly, parboil for 5 minutes, then rinse and place in a large pot with 2.5 liters of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 60 minutes to create a rich broth. Skim any foam regularly.

Clean the crabs. Remove the top shell and gills. Carefully scoop out the crab tomalley (crab fat) and set aside. Extract the crab meat from the body and legs. Reserve shells for broth if desired, or discard. Crush the crab meat slightly and mix with a pinch of salt and pepper.

In a separate pot, boil the red rice noodles according to package instructions until tender but still chewy. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Finely chop shallots and garlic. Heat annatto oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté half of the shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add the crab tomalley and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until it releases its vibrant color and aroma. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp paste and 1 tbsp fish sauce, cooking for another minute.

Add the prepared crab meat to the pan with the aromatics and stir-fry briefly until lightly cooked. Transfer this mixture to the simmering pork bone broth. Season the broth with the remaining fish sauce, salt, and sugar to taste. Let it simmer gently for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

To serve, place a portion of red rice noodles into a bowl. Ladle the hot crab broth over the noodles, ensuring some crab meat and tomato pieces are included. Garnish with fresh perilla leaves, chopped cilantro, green onions, and optionally, fried shallots or slices of Vietnamese ham. Serve immediately.