Find out exactly why Bun Mam is a beloved dish among the locals! Its incredibly deep and complex broth is infused with fermented fish then loaded with seafood, crispy pork belly and stuffed chilis. You haven’t truly tried Vietnamese food until you’ve had this noodle soup!
A local treasure
Every culture has their national dish that is an ‘acquired taste’ for people who have not been exposed to it before. Bun Mam, A Vietnamese Fermented Fish Noodle Soup, is Vietnam’s ultra pungent gem.
I’ll be completely honest and just put it out there – this noodle soup is not for the faint hearted.
If you’re not accustomed to strong smelling ingredients, you can try our Pork and Prawn Clear Noodle Soup (Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang) or Chicken Tapioca Noodle Soup (Bánh Canh Gà) for a flavorful but simpler broth.
But if you love Bun Mam the way the locals do, there is absolutely NOTHING that compares.
As soon as the aromas hit you – and boy do they hit you – you’ll be swamped by the most intensely fragrant aromas. It’s one of those knee-buckling moments where the soup ingredients have been slow cooked until melted so every mouthful is just divine.
You won’t find this deeply savory soup in any other recipe and you definitely won’t find one that’s loaded with toppings, working together to bring pure harmony and joy.
What is Bún Mắm?
Originating from Vietnam’s South, Bun Mam is a rice noodle soup characterized by its robust broth. It’s also popularly known as a Vietnamese seafood gumbo, which truly captures its strong-flavored stock made from fermented fish.
What differentiates Bun Mam from a gumbo is that the soup is much thinner. Its taste delivers a sharp kick to the nose, but is balanced by a light broth and fresh herbs.
It’s also complemented by a unique set of toppings, including Chinese crackling pork, cooked prawns and stuffed whole chilis, a tribute to the Cambodian-Vietnamese fusion.
Why this recipe works
- Fermented fish is infused with lemongrass then sifted straight into the broth for the most authentic seasoning.
- A spicy lemongrass blend is used to add an intense kick to the Bun Mam soup.
- Adding stuffed chilis keeps the dish exciting and full of extra flavor.
What you’ll need
The Broth
About the fermented fish
Fermented fish can be found at Asian grocery stores in sealed jars. You’ll find there are many options to choose from, but we use linh and tench fish because they’re easy to remove from the jars and cook down rather quickly.
If you are new to this recipe, I would suggest adding 1 jar to the chicken and pork stock to start.
The Lemongrass Blend
About the Ingredients
Chili is entirely optional in this recipe and the amount can vary depending on your preference.
If you’re a fan of lemongrass, you can certainly add more.
The Toppings and Noodles
About the Toppings and Noodles
You can get crackling pork from all Chinese BBQ shops, otherwise any pork roast with crackling will work.
Opt for a white boneless fish like ling to make filleting and cooking easier.
The Stuffed Chili
About the filling
Bun Mam doesn’t always come with stuffed chilis, but they’re a great way to take your noodle soup up a notch.
You can buy frozen seasoned fish paste from Asian supermarkets or fresh seasoned fish paste from the fish monger. Also, make sure to buy the straighter chilis to make it easier when stuffing.
The Garnish
About the Garnish
The garnish we use for this recipe can be found in most Asian grocery stores, but Bun Mam can also be enjoyed with water spinach, banana blossom, mint and perilla.
How to make this recipe
The Broth
Divide the lemongrass into 10cm (4″) segments and smash them until split.
Heat up a pot on medium and pour the fermented fish, adding the smashed lemongrass. Cook everything until it becomes a paste.
Turn the heat up for the pot and sift the cooked paste in by pouring ladles of broth through the sieve.
Continue sifting in batches until the bones are white, then discard them.
Season the Bun Mam soup with rock sugar, chicken bouillon powder and salt.
The Lemongrass Blend
Cut the lemongrass into smaller chunks (roughly 1cm/0.4″ long) for the food processor. If you’re not using a food processor, finely chop the lemongrass.
Blitz the lemongrass until fine and finely chop the garlic and chilis.
Heat up a small pot on low-medium heat and pour the oil in. Cook the garlic, chili, lemongrass and chicken bouillon powder until golden.
Add 1/2 cup of the lemongrass blend to the soup broth for added flavor and save the remaining lemongrass as a garnish.
Tip: If you find the lemongrass to be too dry, add 1 tbsp oil at a time as it browns.
How to prepare the squid
Slice the squid from top to bottom in the center. Do not cut all the way through.
Open the squid up using the newly formed cut and pull to remove the hard pen (a squid’s internal support) along with the rest of the the insides.
Discard the pen and remove the ink sac by cutting it off.
Run the knife over the body of the opened squid to scrape off the loose membrane.
Lightly score the squid by making thin slits in a cross-hatch pattern.
Slice the squid into 1cm (0.4″) segments then plate.
The Stuffed Chili
Run a knife from the top of the chili to the bottom to make a long cut. Use a teaspoon to hollow it out, removing any seeds.
Note: If you like your food spicy, you can leave the seeds in there.
Use a teaspoon to stuff the chilis until full.
Pour the oil into a heated pan on medium heat and cook the chilis for 5 minutes on each side or until the filling is cooked.
The Noodles and Toppings
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles for 10 minutes or until al dente. Make sure to stir the noodles to stop any from sticking to the pot.
Drain and run under cold water until completely cool, then set aside in a colander to drip dry.
Prepare the toppings by slicing the fish and crackling pork and deshelling the prawns.
Cut the eggplant into chunks and sit them in water with salt to slow down the browning process.
Serving the dish
Bring the Bun Mam broth back to a boil and add the eggplants in to soften, then wash and slice the fresh garnish.
Cook the seafood in the broth.
Assemble your bowl with noodles, seafood, crackling pork, eggplant, stuffed chili, fresh garnish, lemongrass and a squeeze of lime juice!
FAQs
Unfortunately, the fermented fish flavor really can’t be replaced with anything else.
But if it’s too difficult to come by or the intensity of it isn’t for you, then it can definitely be skipped entirely (which also means it will become an entirely different noodle soup).
You certainly can, but because this dish is on the saltier side, thicker rice noodles will balance the savoriness out a lot more.
Tips for the best results
- Cook the seafood as you eat. Bring the broth to a boil and cook the seafood just before serving instead of leaving it in the pot to overcook.
- Add the garnish in last. When the broth is hot, it will soften the garnish. Putting the vegetables in at the very end means they will retain their wonderful crunchy texture.
- Put the eggplants into the Bun Mam broth sooner rather than later. The eggplants act as sponges and will soak up all the flavor as they soften in the broth, making them utterly delicious!
More Vietnamese Noodle Soups You’ll Love!
- Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho) – Our family go-to during the colder seasons with its earthy flavors and rich tomato base.
- Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà) – One of my personal favorites for its light curry spices and creamy coconut essence.
- Bún Bò Huế Chay (Vegetarian Spicy Noodle Soup) – Mum’s aromatic broth full of lemongrass fragrance that you won’t find anywhere else.
- Bún Riêu Chay (Vegetarian Tomato Noodle Soup) – Another one of Mum’s amazing recipes, but this time with tomatoes and a tangier soup.
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Bun Mam (Vietnamese Fermented Fish Noodle Soup)
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
The Broth
- 10 L / 42 US cups chicken and pork stock
- 2 jars fermented fish (or 1 for first timers)
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 90 g / 0.2 lb rock sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
The Lemongrass Blend
- 4 stalks lemongrass
- 5 cloves garlic
- chili (optional)
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 5 tbsp cooking oil
The Toppings and Noodles
- eggplant
- cooked prawns
- squid
- ling fish (or any boneless white fish)
- crackling pork
- thick rice noodles (bún)
- water (for boiling the noodles and soaking the eggplant)
- 1 tsp salt (for soaking the eggplants)
The Stuffed Chili
- seasoned fish paste (we get it from our local Asian supermarket or fish monger)
- large chili
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (add more if pan is too dry while cooking)
The Garnish
- cabbage
- purple cabbage
- bean sprouts
- Chinese celery
- garlic chives
- lime
- fresh chili (optional)
Instructions
The Broth
- Divide the lemongrass into 10cm (4") segments and smash them until split.
- Heat up a pot on medium and pour the fermented fish, adding the smashed lemongrass. Cook everything until it becomes a paste.
- Turn the heat up for the pot and sift the cooked paste in by pouring ladles of broth through the sieve.
- Continue sifting in batches until the bones are white, then discard them.
- Season the Bun Mam soup with rock sugar, chicken bouillon powder and salt.
The Lemongrass Blend
- Cut the lemongrass into smaller chunks (roughly 1cm/0.4" long) for the food processor. If you're not using a food processor, finely chop the lemongrass.
- Blitz the lemongrass until fine and finely chop the garlic and chilis.
- Heat up a small pot on low-medium heat and pour the oil in. Cook the garlic, chili, lemongrass and chicken bouillon powder until golden.
- Add 1/2 cup of the lemongrass blend to the soup broth for added flavor and save the remaining lemongrass as a garnish.Tip: If you find the lemongrass to be too dry, add 1 tbsp oil at a time as it browns.
How To Prepare The Squid
- Slice the squid from top to bottom in the center. Do not cut all the way through.
- Open the squid up using the newly formed cut and pull to remove the hard pen (a squid's internal support) along with the rest of the the insides.
- Discard the pen and remove the ink sac by cutting it off.
- Run the knife over the body of the opened squid to scrape off the loose membrane.
- Lightly score the squid by making thin slits in a cross-hatch pattern.
- Slice the squid into 1cm (0.4") segments then plate.
The Stuffed Chili
- Run a knife from the top of the chili to the bottom to make a long cut. Use a teaspoon to hollow it out, removing any seeds.Note: If you like your food spicy, you can leave the seeds in there.
- Use a teaspoon to stuff the chilis until full.
- Pour the oil into a heated pan on medium heat and cook the chilis for 5 minutes on each side or until the filling is cooked.
The Noodles and Toppings
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles for 10 minutes or until al dente. Make sure to stir the noodles to stop any from sticking to the pot.
- Drain and run under cold water until completely cool, then set aside in a colander to drip dry.
- Prepare the toppings by slicing the fish and crackling pork and deshelling the prawns.
- Cut the eggplant into chunks and sit them in water with 1 tsp salt to slow down the browning process.
Serving The Dish
- Bring the Bun Mam broth back to a boil and add the eggplants in to soften, then wash and slice the fresh garnish.
- Cook the seafood in the broth.
- Assemble your bowl with noodles, seafood, crackling pork, eggplant, stuffed chili, fresh garnish, lemongrass and a squeeze of lime juice!
Notes
- Cook the seafood as you eat. Bring the broth to a boil and cook the seafood just before serving instead of leaving it in the pot to overcook.
- Add the garnish in last. When the broth is hot, it will soften the garnish. Putting the vegetables in at the very end means they will retain their wonderful crunchy texture.
- Put the eggplants into the Bun Mam broth sooner rather than later. The eggplants act as sponges and will soak up all the flavor as they soften in the broth, making them utterly delicious!
- Fermented fish can be found at Asian grocery stores in sealed jars. You'll find there are many options to choose from, but we use linh and tench fish because they're easy to remove from the jars and cook down rather quickly.
- You can get crackling pork from all Chinese BBQ shops, otherwise any pork roast with crackling will work.
- Opt for a white boneless fish like ling to make filleting and cooking easier.
- Buy the straighter chilis to make it easier when stuffing.
- The garnish we use for this recipe can be found in most Asian grocery stores, but Bun Mam can also be enjoyed with water spinach, banana blossom, mint and perilla.
I love any kind of noodle soup – so comforting. This looks delicious.
Thanks, Dannii! I love noodle soups too 😀
I’m glad for the process photos because there are definitely a lot of elements I’m not familiar with in this soup. Making this recipe would be a great way to virtually travel right now!
Thanks, Jill! It’d definitely be one virtual pit stop to Vietnam 😉
Your tutorial and information is wonderful. I really enjoyed reading about this flavorful Bun Mam.
Thanks, Angela!
Wow, that sounds like a very flavorful and delicious soup. Thank you for the step by step photos – makes it so much easy to follow along and make the various components.
You’re most welcome, Pavani!
Wow! This soup has so much going on!! A quick trip to the Asian market and I was able to find everything I needed and with your step by step instructions, it comes out perfect!
That’s wonderful to hear, Pam!