About bún chả cá
Bún chả cá is a central-Vietnamese noodle soup, most tied to the coast around Nha Trang and Đà Nẵng. Rice vermicelli sits in a light broth built from tomato, pineapple, and dill, so it reads bright and sweet-sour rather than rich. The fish balls and fried fish cake are the centerpiece: springy, mild, and clean against the tangy broth.
Use Flamingo Fish Balls or Flamingo Fried Fish Cakes straight from frozen. Both cook in a few minutes once the broth is simmering and hold their bite in the bowl. See how to cook them from frozen.
Ingredients — Broth
- 6–8 cups chicken or pork stock
- 1 small pineapple, sliced or diced
- 2–3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1–2 tbsp fish sauce (to taste)
- 1 tbsp sugar or rock sugar (to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika (optional, for color)
- 1/2 white onion, sliced
Ingredients — Serving
- 1 lb rice vermicelli noodles (Bún)
- Fresh herbs: dill, cilantro, Thai basil, green onions
- Bean sprouts
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage
- Lime wedges and red chilies
Directions
- Sauté: In a large pot, sauté the onions, tomatoes, and pineapple with a little oil for 2–3 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the chicken or pork stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add fish sauce, sugar, and paprika (if using), and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
- Combine: Add the fried fish cakes to the broth and cook for another 5 minutes to let them absorb the flavor.
- Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions, then drain.
- Place a portion of noodles in a bowl. Top with slices of the fried fish cake.
- Ladle the hot broth with tomatoes and pineapple over the noodles.
- Garnish with fresh dill, cilantro, green onions, and serve with bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, lime wedges, and chili.
