When I was pregnant with my baby girl, Kira, Bún Thang would be something I craved a lot. Warm comforting chicken/pork bone broth topped with a variety of julienne meat and veggies. True comfort for the soul. This is especially great to have during winter time, and relatively easy to make. Growing up, anytime my mom made any sort of noodle dish, I would get really excited for dinner. This was one of my favorites.
What is Bún Thang?
Bún Thang originated from Hanoi and is also one of the many traditional foods of Tết (Vietnamese New Year). It became a dish people would make after Tet, to try to use up all the leftovers from the day before.
There are so many ways to prepare it, some recipes call for dried shrimp and quail eggs, some have chả lụa ( vietnamese sausage), and some have mushrooms. This is normally eaten with a side of shrimp paste. I’ll show you a simple way of making it at home with just the basic chicken and eggs.
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people
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- 4 lbs Chicken thighs or drumstick
- 2 lbs Pork Neck (blanched) optional
- 2 inches Peeled Ginger
- 1 Onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 Eggs
- Cilantro chopped
- Green onions chopped
- fried dried shallots optional
- 1 package Rice Noodles
Ingredients
Broth (prepare a day ahead)
Toppings
Other ingredients
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- Blanch pork neck in boiling water for about 3-5 minutes. This helps get rid of some of the impurities. Discard water when done. Bring a big pot of water to a boil (about 2 liters). Add chicken, pork bones, ginger, and onion. Boil for about 35 minutes. Turn down to a simmer and remove the chicken, letting it cool. Skim off all impurities on the surface.
- Shred the chicken meat once it has cooled and set aside in the fridge for next day when the broth is ready.
- Remove the meat off chicken bones and put the bones back into the simmering broth. Simmer for about 15 minutes and turn off heat, letting it cool. Once it's cooled down, put the pot of broth in the fridge overnight, or at least 4 hours.
- After 4 hours or next day, skim off all the fat on the surface turn heat onto medium. Let the broth get hot, about 15-20 minutes, remove chicken and pork bones, onion, and ginger. Add fish sauce and salt (you can adjust the amount accordingly to your taste).
- Boil noodles according to instructions on the package. Set noodles aside to dry.
- Thoroughly beat the eggs in a bowl or cup. Season with a bit of salt. Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat, lightly grease with oil and pour just enough egg mixture to create a thin layer. Depending on how small or big your pan is, you may have to make two crepes. Roll up the eggs and thinly slice into little strips.
- Portion the cooked noodles into each bowl. Top with shredded chicken, eggs, cilantro, and green onions. Reheat the broth until slightly boiling, then turn off stove. Ladle broth over the bowl until just enough to cover noodles and some of the toppings.