Name: Bún cá Hải Phòng — Hai Phong fish noodle soup
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 110 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 600 g fresh rice vermicelli (bún), loosened; briefly blanch according to package directions; 600 g firm white-fleshed fish fillets, skinless and pin-boned, cut into 4 cm pieces; tilapia is one practical choice; 250 g fully cooked Vietnamese fish cake (chả cá), sliced; 500 g fish frames or bones, rinsed for broth; remove gills if using a head; 1.8 litres water for the fish broth; 45 ml neutral cooking oil, divided: 30 ml for frying fish and fish cake, 15 ml for the tomatoes; 400 g ripe tomatoes, washed and cut into wedges; 250 g edible dọc mùng stalk (giant elephant-ear taro stem), peeled and sliced diagonally; 150 g water spinach stems, split lengthwise and cut into 8 cm lengths; 100 g banana blossom, thinly sliced; 500 ml cold water for soaking the banana blossom; discard after use; 30 ml fresh lime juice for soaking the banana blossom; 30 g fresh dill, washed and roughly chopped; 30 g scallions, washed and thinly sliced; 80 g shallots, peeled and divided for the broth and stock; 30 g fresh ginger, washed, lightly crushed and divided for stock and fish; 3 g ground turmeric for seasoning the fish; 30 ml fish sauce, divided: 5 ml for the fish and 25 ml for the broth; 30 ml unseasoned rice vinegar for the broth; 10 g granulated sugar to balance the broth; 8 g fine salt, divided: 3 g for dọc mùng, 1 g for fish and up to 4 g for broth; 1 g ground black pepper for the fish; 1 lime, washed and cut into wedges for serving; 10 g fresh red chilli, thinly sliced and served separately

A bowl of fish noodle soup sits on the right side of a wooden table beside banana blossom, herbs, lime and sliced chilli. — A wide serving scene with the bowl and its fresh accompaniments.

Yield 4 bowls

Cook 55 minutes

Passive 20 minutes for salting the taro stem and marinating the fish

Total 1 hour 50 minutes

Calories per serving about 550 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bún cá Hải Phòng — Hai Phong fish noodle soup

Bún cá means rice-vermicelli fish soup, and recipes differ across Vietnam. Hải Phòng's version is known for a tangy, often spicy broth and fried fish; local accompaniments can include dọc mùng, split water spinach, sliced banana blossom and herbs. This home version follows that regional character with a tomato fish-frame broth, crisp white fish, ready-to-cook Vietnamese fish cake (chả cá), noodles and fresh greens. It is one practical bowl, not a claim to the sole or fixed Hải Phòng formula.

The fish is fried separately so it stays crisp when it meets the broth. The taro stem is salted, rinsed and blanched before it goes into the soup; lime and sliced chilli are served separately for a brighter or hotter finish.

Practical

Tips for successBuy dọc mùng from a trusted food shop and use only edible stalks. Wear gloves while peeling and squeezing it; salt, rinse and blanch it as directed below. Dry fish pieces thoroughly before frying to reduce splatter and help them brown. Keep the fish broth at a gentle simmer and strain it before adding the tomatoes, so the bowl stays light rather than cloudy. Blanch fresh bún briefly according to its package. Overcooking makes it soft and gummy. Assemble the bowls just before eating so the fried fish remains crisp.

Ingredients

Soup, fish and noodles

600 g fresh rice vermicelli (bún), loosened; briefly blanch according to package directions
600 g firm white-fleshed fish fillets, skinless and pin-boned, cut into 4 cm pieces; tilapia is one practical choice
250 g fully cooked Vietnamese fish cake (chả cá), sliced
500 g fish frames or bones, rinsed for broth; remove gills if using a head
1.8 litres water for the fish broth
45 ml neutral cooking oil, divided: 30 ml for frying fish and fish cake, 15 ml for the tomatoes
400 g ripe tomatoes, washed and cut into wedges
250 g edible dọc mùng stalk (giant elephant-ear taro stem), peeled and sliced diagonally
150 g water spinach stems, split lengthwise and cut into 8 cm lengths
100 g banana blossom, thinly sliced
500 ml cold water for soaking the banana blossom; discard after use
30 ml fresh lime juice for soaking the banana blossom
30 g fresh dill, washed and roughly chopped
30 g scallions, washed and thinly sliced
80 g shallots, peeled and divided for the broth and stock
30 g fresh ginger, washed, lightly crushed and divided for stock and fish
3 g ground turmeric for seasoning the fish
30 ml fish sauce, divided: 5 ml for the fish and 25 ml for the broth
30 ml unseasoned rice vinegar for the broth
10 g granulated sugar to balance the broth
8 g fine salt, divided: 3 g for dọc mùng, 1 g for fish and up to 4 g for broth
1 g ground black pepper for the fish
1 lime, washed and cut into wedges for serving
10 g fresh red chilli, thinly sliced and served separately

Method

Use only edible dọc mùng from a reliable food shop. Wearing kitchen gloves, peel away its fibrous outer layer and slice the stalk diagonally. Toss with 3 g salt and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, gently squeeze, then blanch in boiling water for 1 minute and drain.
Cover the sliced banana blossom with 500 ml cold water mixed with 30 ml lime juice for 10 minutes, then drain. Pat the fish dry. Season it with 5 ml fish sauce, turmeric, 1 g salt, pepper and half the ginger. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Keep raw fish, its juices and its utensils away from ready-to-eat produce.
Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add the fish frames and blanch for 2 minutes; drain and rinse. Put them in a clean stockpot with 1.8 litres fresh water, half the shallots and the remaining ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim, and cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Strain carefully into a clean pot and discard the bones and aromatics.
Heat 30 ml oil in a large pan. Fry the fish in batches until golden and opaque, turning once. Check the centre of a thick piece with a thermometer; it must reach at least 63°C / 145°F. Transfer to a clean rack. In the same pan, fry the cooked fish-cake slices until browned and steaming hot, following the package directions. If reheating chilled leftover fish cake, heat it throughout to 74°C / 165°F.
Heat the remaining 15 ml oil in the stockpot or a clean pan. Cook the remaining shallots until fragrant, add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Pour in the strained fish stock. Add the remaining 25 ml fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and up to 4 g salt. Simmer for 8 minutes, then taste for a balanced, gently sour broth.
Add the prepared dọc mùng and split water spinach to the simmering broth; cook for 2–3 minutes until hot and crisp-tender. Briefly blanch the fresh bún according to its package, drain and divide among four bowls. Add banana blossom, ladle hot broth and vegetables over the noodles, then top each bowl with fried fish and fish cake. Finish with dill and scallion; serve with lime wedges and sliced chilli on the side.
Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers at or below 4°C / 40°F; use within 3–4 days. Store noodles, fried fish and broth separately for best texture. Reheat broth until steaming hot and fish or leftovers throughout to 74°C / 165°F.

Practical

Practical guidance

Serve the bowl as soon as the hot broth is ladled over the noodles. Put the lime and chilli on the table, and offer extra banana blossom or herbs on a side plate. The flavor should be gently sour and savory, with the fresh herbs balancing the fried fish. For a milder bowl, leave out the chilli; add it gradually for more heat. Fresh rice vermicelli is sold in Asian markets. If you can find only dried bún, prepare it to the package directions and rinse briefly so the strands do not clump. Choose a firm, boneless white fish that holds together in the pan. Fish cake brands vary in salt and allergens, so check the label before seasoning the broth.

Troubleshooting

The broth tastes flat: Add a little more rice vinegar or fish sauce from the measured ingredients, tasting after each addition. The broth is too sour: Add a splash of hot water or a pinch of sugar from the listed amount, then taste again. The fried fish turns soft: Drain it on a rack rather than stacking it, and add it to the bowls only at serving time. The dọc mùng feels fibrous or irritating: The stalk may not have been peeled, salted, rinsed and blanched thoroughly, or it may not be an edible variety. Use only a known food-grade stalk and follow the full preparation steps. The noodles clump: They may have been overcooked or left to sit after blanching. Loosen them gently and serve as soon as possible.

Frequently asked questions

What is chả cá? It is Vietnamese fish cake, usually sold cooked or ready to heat. Slice it and warm it according to the package before adding it to the bowl. Can I make the broth ahead? Yes. Strain and cool it promptly, refrigerate it in a covered container, then bring it to a boil before serving. Fry the fish and prepare the noodles close to mealtime. Is every Hải Phòng bowl very spicy? Heat varies by cook and shop. This version keeps fresh chilli on the side so each person can season their bowl.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving size1 bowl, one quarter of the recipe
Calories550 kcal
Carbohydrate52 g
Protein39 g
Fat18 g
Fibre4 g
Sodium1,450 mg

Allergens and food safety

Fish is present in the fillets, fish-frame broth and chả cá. Check packaged fish cake and noodles for wheat, soy, shellfish or other allergens and cross-contact. Keep raw fish and its utensils separate from vegetables and cooked foods; wash hands and surfaces after handling it. Cook fish to at least 63°C / 145°F in the thickest piece. Use only edible dọc mùng from a trusted source; wear gloves for preparation, peel, salt, rinse, squeeze and blanch it before eating. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C / 40°F, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C / 165°F throughout.

To finish

Ladle the tomato broth over the noodles just before eating to protect the fish's crisp edges.
Serve lime, chilli and fresh herbs separately for a lively, adjustable bowl.

Bún cá Hải Phòng — Hai Phong fish noodle soup

Practical

Ingredients

Soup, fish and noodles

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

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Cơm gà Phan Rang — Phan Rang chicken rice

Xôi vùng cao — Điện Biên (xôi hoa bó phón)