Bún Riêu Cua: Authentic Vietnamese Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup

In a large pot, bring 8 cups of chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the quartered tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until softened.

If using annatto seeds, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a small pan over low heat. Add annatto seeds and cook for 2 minutes until the oil turns red. Strain out the seeds and add the colored oil to the broth. Discard the seeds.

In a bowl, combine 1/2 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound crab meat, 2 beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons shrimp paste, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Mix well to form the crab and pork mixture.

Gently drop spoonfuls of the crab and pork mixture into the simmering broth. Cook for 10-15 minutes, allowing the mixture to form delicate, fluffy cakes that float to the surface.

Prepare the vermicelli rice noodles according to package instructions. Typically, this involves soaking in hot water for 5-7 minutes until tender, then draining.

Add the fried tofu puffs (if using) to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes to warm through.

To serve, place a portion of cooked vermicelli noodles into individual bowls. Ladle the hot broth, crab cakes, tomatoes, and tofu puffs over the noodles. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.