How to make Hoi An thick noodles cao lau

Discover the essence of Hoi An’s history in a single bowl with the cao lau recipe — a distinctive combination of unique noodles and tender braised pork that reflects centuries of cultural exchange and trade.

The renowned The Guardian once described cao lau as “the history of the city in a bowl,” highlighting how the dish has evolved through the influence of foreign merchants while preserving its unmistakably Vietnamese soul.

What truly defines cao lau is its noodles. In Quang Nam Province, home to Hoi An, the rice is traditionally soaked in water drawn from the Ba Le Well and mixed with ash from Cu Lao Cham. The rice is then ground into flour, kneaded, rolled into thin square sheets, steamed, and cut into noodles. The result is slightly brown strands with a chewy yet crisp texture — unlike any other noodles in Vietnam.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people, takes approximately 75 minutes to prepare, and provides around 3,052 calories in total.

Ingredients

• 600 g pork collar, pork leg, or pork belly

• 1 liter pork stock (optional)

• 4 shallots

• 4 cloves of garlic

• Seasonings: salt, five-spice powder, soy sauce, sugar, stock powder

• Cooking oil, annatto oil

• Cao lau noodles (thin and square-shaped; can substitute with thick dried rice noodles)

• Green chili

• Basil, bean sprouts, baby mustard greens, chili, lime