Hanoi-style chicken noodle soup Bún thang

In Vietnamese cuisine there are many types of noodle soup, but the most significant one is Hanoi city’s chicken-based noodle soup Bún Thang.

Traditionally, to make Bún Thang it takes no less than twenty ingredients, each of which has its own specification. The main ingredients are: rice vermicelli – white and in small strings, scrambled eggs – very thin and sliced evenly, chicken – tender and shredded with skin, “giò” (Vietnamese ham), dried shrimps, shiitake mushrooms, dried pickled radishes, and of course spring onions and Vietnamese coriander (laksa leaves).

This northern Vietnam noodle soup is traditionally eaten during Tết festival (Lunar New Year), on the 4th day of the New Year to be precise. On this day, Vietnamese would burn joss paper and perform ritual worshipping to say thanks and farewell to their ancestors whose spirits have come to join the family during New Year’s eve. After that, the remaining food from the last days would be renovated to make “Bún Thang”

As all usual noodle soup, the heart of the dish lies in the broth. The clear hot broth is stewed from chicken bones and shrimps with the cook constantly skimming it. well-cooked broth is clear, fragrant and has just a little bit of lingering sweet taste of shrimps and dried mushroom.