Bun Mang Vit is a Vietnamese rice vermicelli duck noodle soup with bamboo shoots.
It’s typically served with a platter of fresh vegetables, such as shredded cabbage, and lots of herbs. A a side of ginger fish sauce (Nuoc Mam Gung) also accompanies the bowl for dipping the duck slices.
What I love about this dish is the flavor and texture contrast. The shredded cabbage adds a crunchy bite to the soft rice noodles, while the sharp, zingy ginger fish sauce cuts through the richness of the duck, tying everything together.
If you don’t have duck, you can easily substitute it with chicken, making Bun Mang Ga, an equally delicious version.
Whenever I make Bun Mang Vit, I prefer to use dried bamboo shoots. While they require preparation the night before, their deep, earthy flavor and crunchy texture are far superior to canned or fresh bamboo found in Asian supermarkets.
To prepare dried bamboo shoots, they need to be rehydrated and boiled 2-3 times, changing the water each time to remove their strong smell. After a few rounds of boiling, the bamboo softens, expands in volume, and is ready to use.
This dish is rare to find in Vietnamese restaurants in the U.S., so follow the recipe below to enjoy a taste of this underrated Vietnamese noodle soup.
PrintVietnamese Duck Noodle Soup with Bamboo Shoots (Bun Mang Vit)
- Total Time: 7 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A hearty traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with tender duck (or replace with chicken), flavorful broth, and the unique taste of bamboo shoots. An easy to follow recipe, full of traditional flavors.
Ingredients
Bamboo
- 1 lb dried bamboo (presoak overnight)
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 2 large shallots (peel and mince)
- 5 cloves garlic (peel and mince)
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Duck
- 1 whole duck (remove fatty butt end)
- 1/4 cup smashed and minced fresh ginger (no need to peel)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
Stock
- 3 quarts water
- 2 whole yellow onions (peel outer layer; leave whole)
- 3 oz ginger (unpeeled, cut into thick slices)
Stock Seasoning
- 150 grams rock sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
Noodles
- 1 lb dried vermicelli rice noodles (medium)
Garnishes/Vegetables/Sauce
- 1 yellow onion (peel and slice thin)
- Green onions (slice thin)
- Cilantro (roughly chop)
- Shredded white or purple cabbage
- Mint leaves
- Vietnamese coriander leaves(Rau Ram)
- Lime/lemon wedges
- Fried shallots
- Ginger Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the dried bamboo: Soak dried bamboo in water overnight or at least 5 hours to soften. Wash bamboo few times and squeeze out excess water until water runs clear. In a large stock pot, bring water to a boil then add bamboo. Boil for 15 minutes then drain into a colander placed in the sink to discard water. Repeat the boiling until water is clear and no longer yellow. For this particular batch of dried bamboo, I had to do a total of three boilings to get rid of all that yellow water. Drain bamboo and give it a final wash/rinse then drain dry. Cut off any hard stubs and shred (follow the grain) into thin bite-size strips.
- Roast aromatics: Roast yellow onions and ginger in oven at 350°F for 40 minutes.
- Pan fry bamboo: In a small skillet, add vegetable oil and heat on medium high. Add shallots and sauté until fragrant. Add garlic next and sauté until fragrant. Add shredded bamboo. Pan-fry and evenly toss in aromatics. Season bamboo with chicken bouillon powder, sea salt and sugar. Set aside.
- Prepare the duck: Clean the duck by rubbing ginger, salt and vinegar all over the skin and insides of the duck. Use the abrasive action of the salt to scrub and remove the foul poultry smell. Rinse duck and drain dry.
- Make the broth: In a large stock pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add duck, yellow onions and sliced ginger. Simmer on medium low and occasionally skim off any foam that rise to the top. After 25 minutes, duck should be cooked. Double check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer duck to an ice bath. Remove whole onions and ginger and discard. Add sautéed bamboo to the stock pot and simmer on medium low for one hour. Season stock with rock sugar, sea salt and bouillon powder. Once duck is cooled, chop duck into bite-size pieces with a large mallet. Set aside.
- Noodles: Cook noodles per package instructions and prepare the vegetables and garnishes.
- Assemble: Add vermicelli noodles to the bottom of a bowl. Add a few slices/chunk of duck, ladle in hot broth with bamboo shoots, and garnish bowl with sliced yellow onion, green onions, cilantro, cabbage, mint and coriander. Top bowl with fried shallots and a lemon wedge for squeezing. Serve bowl of duck noodle soup with a side of ginger fish sauce for dipping duck meat.
- Prep Time: 5 hours, 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: asian, vietnamese
