Top 10 Exceptional Bun Dishes in Vietnam

Bun Thang is a familiar dish to Hanoians, beloved for its sweet, rich, clear, and fragrant broth with a distinct aroma of dried shrimp, making it a uniquely delicious and irresistible dish. Above all, Bun Thang in Hanoi perfectly combines color, aroma, and taste, delivering an unforgettable appeal.

This dish boasts a vibrant array of colors. The vermicelli noodles are meticulously arranged at the bottom, topped with various finely sliced ingredients. A standard bowl of Bun Thang typically includes shredded chicken, dried shrimp, chicken egg, pork sausage, mushroom, and cilantro. In the center of the bowl, a salted duck egg may be added. The broth for Bun Thang must be piping hot, sweet, and clear. When served, a splash of delicious shrimp paste elevates the dish to an incomparable level of tastiness (Vu Bang).

Ingredients:

• Pork sausage 100g
• Pork bone 500g
• Free-range chicken 1
• Duck eggs 2
• Thin vermicelli noodles 1.5kg
• Prawn 200g
• Dried shrimp 100g
• Squid tentacles 3 (or razor clams)
• Cilantro, coriander, dried shallots, grilled ginger, shiitake mushrooms, dried radish
• Seasonings: Shrimp paste, fish sauce, a pinch of rock sugar, vinegar, white sugar

Instructions:

• Prepare the ingredients: Thinly slice the pork sausage into small strips and set aside. Wash and finely chop the cilantro and coriander, then set aside. Rinse the ginger and let it dry. Peel and finely chop the shallots, then set aside. Soak the dried radish in warm water for 30 minutes until soft, then rinse again with clean water. Next, thinly slice the soaked radish and mix with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of white sugar, mix well, and let it marinate for 30 minutes. Clean the shiitake mushrooms, remove the black stems, rinse well, and thinly slice. Remove any dirt from the dried shrimp and set aside. Prepare the prawns by removing any dirt, then rinse them separately. Peel the prawns, remove the heads and tails, and remove the black threads from the back. Crush the prawns in a mortar and pestle, then set aside. Beat the duck eggs in a bowl, add a pinch of seasoning, mix well, and set aside. Wash the chicken with diluted salt water, rinse again with clean water, and let it dry. Wash the pork bones with diluted salt water, rinse again with clean water, and let them dry.
• Prepare other ingredients: Roast the ginger until cooked and fragrant. Then, grill the squid tentacles until cooked, let them cool, then shred them into small strips.
• Make the broth: Boil the chicken in a pot until it boils, then add a bit of seasoning (1 tablespoon of chicken seasoning, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the grilled ginger) into the pot, reduce the heat to let the chicken cook thoroughly. After removing the chicken, let it cool, then shred it into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Boil the pork bones in water, then discard the water, rinse the bone fragments with cold water. Then, pour the bones into a pot of boiling water and simmer (about 2 - 3 hours) to make the broth. After the broth has simmered for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, add the grilled squid tentacles, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, 1 rock sugar, 1 tablespoon of chicken seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a bit of fish sauce into the pot, stir well. Continue simmering for another 1 or 2 hours, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add the chopped cilantro and coriander into the pot, then turn off the heat.
• Make shrimp paste and eggs: Roast the dried shrimp until fragrant, then transfer to a plate. Next, add a bit of cooking oil to a pan, when the oil is hot, add the crushed prawns and a bit of fish sauce, then stir-fry until the prawns are cooked and slightly dry to make shrimp paste. Transfer the shrimp paste to a plate. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and fry until thin. When cooked, transfer the eggs to a plate and let them cool, then slice them into thin strips.
• Assembly: Rinse the vermicelli noodles with water, arrange the various ingredients on top, then pour the broth over everything. For those who enjoy shrimp paste, add 1/2 teaspoon of shrimp paste on top.

Bun Tom is considered a signature dish of Hai Phong alongside crab noodles and fish vermicelli. This dish features sweetness from the shrimp and bone broth, combined with the rich flavor of stir-fried shrimp and meat. The main ingredients of bun tom, as the name suggests, are vermicelli and shrimp. Additionally, this dish is served with water spinach, Chinese cabbage, coriander, shiitake mushrooms, creating a special blend of flavors that represents the Port City.

Bun Tom in Hai Phong boasts an appealing color palette, with a broth that is both rich and sweet, complemented by the flavorful shrimp and succulent meat. These are balanced by the refreshing taste of sweet greens, resulting in a dish that is not only delicious but also nutritious.

Ingredients:

• White vermicelli 400g
• Rock shrimp 400g
• Dried shiitake mushrooms 20g
• Dried wood ear mushrooms 15g
• Tomatoes 2
• Water spinach 200g
• Finely chopped shallots 2 tablespoons
• Vegetable oil 4 tablespoons
• Common seasonings a pinch (ground pepper/chicken stock cube/salt/sugar)

Instructions:

• Prepare the shrimp: To remove the fishy odor, soak the shrimp in diluted salt water for 2 - 3 minutes, then rinse with clean water. Boil the shrimp in 1 liter of water for about 2 minutes until cooked, then remove the shrimp and peel off the head, shell, legs, and tail, and extract the shrimp paste. Next, use a blender to grind the shrimp shells, heads, tails, and legs with 1 liter of boiled water, then strain through a sieve to remove the residue.
• Prepare other ingredients: Pick and wash the water spinach leaves, cut them into bite-sized pieces, briefly blanch for about 30 seconds, then remove, soak in cold water, and squeeze out excess water. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into small pieces. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water for 1 - 2 hours, then rinse with clean water, drain, and slice thinly. After buying the wood ear mushrooms, soak them in cold water for about 2 hours, then use a knife to remove the roots, rinse with clean water, and cut into small strips.
• Stir-fry the shrimp and mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan, add the finely chopped shallots, sauté until fragrant, then add the boiled shrimp and stir-fry for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, stir-fry for another 2 minutes, then add 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of chicken stock cube, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, stir well over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the mushrooms and shrimp are cooked and evenly seasoned.
• Make the broth: Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped shallots and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a pot, sauté until the shallots are fragrant, then add the tomatoes and stir-fry for about 1 minute over medium heat until the tomatoes are soft. Then add the strained shrimp broth into the pot. Cook for about 1 minute until the shrimp broth boils, add 1 teaspoon of salt, stir well until the salt is dissolved, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then turn off the heat.
• Assembly: Place the white vermicelli, blanched water spinach, sliced shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and stir-fried shrimp into a bowl, then pour the freshly cooked broth over them to enjoy a delicious and enticing bowl of Bun Tom in Hai Phong.

Experience the flavorsome delight of Bun Moc.

Bun Moc, a savory blend of tender meatballs, fresh herbs, and hearty broth, offers a comforting warmth with every spoonful.

Discover the iconic Bun Cha Hanoi.

Bun Cha Hanoi, a Northern Vietnamese delicacy, features grilled pork patties served with vermicelli and a dipping sauce of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, creating a timeless culinary gift from Hanoi.

Discover the flavorsome delight of bún riêu, a traditional Vietnamese dish that leaves a lasting impression with its rich sweetness and subtle tanginess, accentuated by the essence of field crab.

Experience the essence of authenticity with a bowl of bún riêu cua, featuring plump, fragrant crab cakes, immersed in a tantalizing broth crafted from pork bones, tomatoes, and a hint of shrimp paste, served alongside fresh greens for a burst of flavors.