Bun Thang - Ha Noi Chicken Noodle soup
4-6 Servings
0:45 Prep
3:00 Cook
Advanced - You're brave!
This recipe was created in partnership with Aurum Poultry Co.
Need chicken noodle soup ideas?
Traditional Vietnamese noodle soups are a huge part of Vietnamese food culture with each region laying claim to their own variation. Central Vietnam is known for the popular Bun Bo Hue while Southern Vietnam is proud of their Hu Tieu Nam Vang. This delicious chicken noodle soup, Bun Thang, originates in Northern Vietnam.
What is Bun Thang?
Bun Thang consists of a simple chicken bone broth base, seasoned with the umami flavours of good quality fish sauce, dried shrimps, anchovy salt and MSG (optional). The broth is served with thin rice vermicelli noodles (bun) as well as thinly sliced egg, shredded chicken, shiitake mushrooms, Vietnamese pork loaf (cha lua), and some lightly pickled radish on the side.
Our family was from the South of Vietnam and this was not a dish that appeared regularly on the dining table. Further, the Vietnamese diaspora in Australia consisted predominantly of families from the South and it’s rare to find this popular Northern Vietnamese dish in Australia - I did not see it once on restaurant menus while growing up in Adelaide!
Nevertheless, it’s a delicious Vietnamese noodle soup that deserves a place in the Vietnamese-Australian restaurant scene. In my personal opinion, a home-cooked Bun Thang is unparalleled and the only way to go!
How to cook Bun Thang?
This noodle soup is all about the balance of flavours and my best tip is not to skip any of the elements in this recipe. In addition, a good quality chicken also helps. Aurum Poultry Co’s cockerel breast on crown is my go-to for multiple reasons; the cockerel flavour holds its own against the prominent flavours of the anchovy salt and fermented shrimp paste, cooking with meaty chicken frames imparts more complex layers to the broth, and the unique yellow hue makes the broth appear naturally golden yellow, wholesome and warm. However, this recipe can also be made using your favourite whole chicken.
If Vietnamese noodle soups or chicken noodle soups are something that you want to master, add Ha Noi’s most popular noodle soup to your Vietnamese home cooking repertoire.
Ingredients:
Chicken broth:
45g dried shrimps, soaked overnight
1 brown onion, bottom cut off
½ bunch spring onions
1 knob of ginger, lightly crushed
50g shiitake mushrooms, soaked overnight and strained
1 tablespoon sea salt
5–5.5L water
Chicken broth seasoning:
1½ teaspoon anchovy salt
50ml fish sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt or MSG
30g rock sugar
Radish mix:
½ pack dried radish, rehydrated
1 small knob of ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon anchovy salt or 1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar or 1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pickled ground chili (optional)
Shredded Omelette:
2 eggs
pinch of anchovy salt or ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Other:
400-600g thin rice vermicelli noodles
¼ Vietnamese pork loaf, julienned
½ bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch Vietnamese mint, roughly chopped
1 lime
Red chillies, sliced (optional)
Fermented shrimp paste (optional)
Method:
How to make chicken broth:
1. Clean cockerel crowns with hot water to remove impurities, then split them in two and place into a large stock pot. Add half of the dried shrimps, their soaking water, and the remaining broth ingredients. Bring to the boil, then simmer on low for 15 minutes.
2. Carefully remove the chicken breast from the crown and allow to cool covered. Finely shred and set aside. Place crown back into pot and simmer for a further 90 minutes.
Duncan’s tip: Skim off any impurities and foam throughout the simmering process to ensure the broth is clear.
3. Finally, season with anchovy salt, fish sauce, sea salt or MSG and rock sugar as suggested and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Duncan’s tip: Slightly overseason the broth to your taste, as once rice noodles and garnishes are added the broth will balance out.
4. While the broth is simmering, ground the remaining half of rehydrated dried shrimps in a mortar and pestle until well-separated then toast on a fry pan on low–medium heat with 1 tablespoon of neutral cooking oil for 5-7 minutes (or until lightly golden) then remove and set aside.
How to make radish mix:
1. Soak dried radish overnight, rinse until water runs clear, then strain and squeeze out excess water. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Crush ginger in a mortar and pestle, then add fish sauce, anchovy salt, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and pickled ground chilli. Mix well until sugar dissolves, then add to radish and allow to marinate for 1–2 hours
How to cook omelette:
1. In a small mixing bowl, add eggs and anchovy salt, and whisk until combined
2. In a nonstick pan on medium heat, pour a small amount of the egg mixture and swirl it around to just cover the base of the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until lightly golden, then flip and cook for another 15 seconds. Remove and repeat this step for the remaining egg mixture.
Duncan’s tip: Make the omelettes as thin as you can to add a slightly crispy and chewy texture to the dish.
3. Roll up the omelettes and slice them thinly, as if julienned.
Let’s make bun thang!
1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook rice noodles for 8–9 minutes or until just beyond al dente. Strain immediately and place in cold water to stop the cooking process. Separate the noodles in serving sizes and place them in batches in a colander to avoid them sticking together.
2. In a serving bowl, add a serving of noodles, shredded chicken, omelette, pork loaf, 1-2 teaspoons of toasted dried shrimp, chopped spring onions, Vietnamese mint, a gentle squeeze of lime, chili, and a teaspoon of fermented shrimp paste.
3. Serve with radish mix on the side, and consume between mouthfuls of bun thang.
