Bún cá

A clear, aromatic broth where pineapple acidity meets the depth of fish sauce. Cod pieces, golden from turmeric, remain tender under a light crust, served over soft rice vermicelli.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 939
• Protein: 64 g
• Carbs: 104 g
• Fat: 30 g

Ingredients

• 600 g Atlantic cod ( large cubes )
• 1 piece European sea bass ( whole for broth )
• 400 g Dried rice vermicelli ( cooked )
• 3 piece Round tomato
• 0.3 piece Ananas comosus (L.) Merril ( in pieces )
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 piece Dill ( chopped )
• 200 g bean sprouts
• 100 ml Sunflower oil
• 200 g Taro stems (Bạc hà) ( peeled, sliced diagonally and salted to remove bitterness )

Instructions

1. Fish preparation

   Fillet the sea bass. Keep the head and central bone. Cut the cod into large 3 cm cubes. Marinate the cod with turmeric powder, one tablespoon of fish sauce, and ground ginger. The flesh should be well-colored in yellow.

2. Starting the broth

   In a pot, place the fish bone and head. Cover with 2L of water. Add the halved yellow onion and crushed garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Skim regularly so the broth remains translucent. Simmer for 40 minutes.

3. Aromatics and taro

   In a skillet, sauté the quartered tomatoes and pineapple pieces with a little oil. Add the tamarind paste and shrimp paste. Pour this mixture into the filtered broth. Season with grey sea salt. Prepare the taro stems: peel them, slice diagonally, rub with salt for 5 min, then rinse thoroughly and squeeze.

4. Cooking the fish

   Heat the sunflower oil in a pan. Sear the cod cubes until they are golden and crispy on the outside but still juicy inside. Drain on paper towels.

5. Assembly

   Cook the dried rice vermicelli. Dip the taro stems into the boiling broth for 2 minutes. In each bowl, arrange the noodles, fried fish pieces, bean sprouts, taro stems, and plenty of chopped dill. Cover with boiling broth. Finish with green onion and perilla.

Chef's tips

• Do not boil the broth too vigorously to keep it clear.
• Dill is the key to this soup, don't be afraid to use a lot at the last moment.

Storage

Store the broth and fish separately in the fridge. The broth freezes very well.