I predict this is going to be ‘the next pho’. It’s a beef-based soupy noodle dish from the central Vietnamese city of Hue, the old Imperial centre, and has sour, spicy, sweet and salty notes with a predominant flavour of lemongrass. The rice noodles used are quite different to the ones used in pho; here they’re thick and round and, when cooked, have a slightly resistant, al dente texture. Bún bò Hue usually features sliced, cooked beef brisket and chunks of oxtail, with cubes of pig’s blood jelly starring sometimes too. There’s pork hock as well, giving both flavour and plenty of lip-smacking body to the stock (the recipe here will make more of this than you need, but any excess can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 3 months). In Saigon, when you order Bún bò Hue you always get a side basket crammed with bean sprouts, shredded banana blossom, water spinach, cabbage, sliced onions, and herbs like perilla, mint and saw-tooth coriander. You add these to the hot soup, to taste. There’s also a shrimp paste and chilli dipping sauce served on the side. If you make this recipe, don’t be tempted to leave it out.