Bún Bò Huế Chay (Vegetarian Spicy Noodle Soup)
This Bun Bo Hue Chay recipe proves that vegetarian noodle soups don't have to be boring! Full of spicy lemongrass flavor, you'll love how delicious and light it is. It's the perfect weekend meal!
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 3 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 kg / 8.8 lb cabbage
- 1 kg / 2.2 lb daikon
- 500 g / 1.1 lb carrot
- 400 g / 0.9 lb lion's mane mushrooms
- 2 L / 8.5 US cups coconut water
- 5 L/ 21 US cups water
- 9 tsp salt ((or to taste))
- 25 g / 0.06 lb rock sugar ((or to taste))
- 1 tbsp vegetable stock powder
- 2 1/2 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 20 g / 0.04 lb Chinese cinnamon bark
- 40 g / 0.08 lb ginger
- 2 Bún Bò Huế Chay stock cubes
- 10 g / 0.02 lb annatto seeds
- 1/4 US cup cooking oil ((for cooking the annatto seeds))
- shiitake mushrooms
- vegetarian fish balls
- burdock gean
- vegetarian ham
- frozen yam
- 25 g / 0.06 lb lemongrass
- 70 g / 0.15 lb chili ((optional))
- 1/2 US cup cooking oil
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
- 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt ((or to taste))
- 1 tsp honey
- mint
- Thai basil
- green and purple cabbage
- bean sprouts
- lizard's tail
- thick rice vermicelli
Instructions
- 1
Cut the vegetables into large chunks and bring a large pot of water to boil. Put the vegetables in to simmer on high heat for 3 hours or until soft.
- 2
When the vegetables have started to soften, add the shiitake and lion's mane mushrooms and continue to cook for the remaining 2 hours. This will give it an extra depth of flavor.
- 3
Meanwhile, chop the lemongrass and chili into 1.5 cm (0.6") pieces and blitz them in a food processor until fine.
- 4
Add the oil to a pan on medium heat then brown the lemongrass and chili with the salt, vegan fish sauce, vegetable stock powder and honey. Transfer to a jar when done.
- 5
In the same pan, cook each topping in separate batches with 1/4 US cup of the lemongrass blend for 3 minutes each. Transfer to serving dishes when cooked.
- 6
While the stock is still simmering, cook the noodles in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and run under cold water until cool then transfer to a colander to drip dry.Tip: Stir the noodles every few minutes while cooking to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- 7
When the vegetables have softened enough for a chopstick to pierce right through, scoop them out along with the mushrooms and add the coconut water along with 1 US cup of the lemongrass blend, the stock cubes, ginger, cinnamon bark, fish sauce, salt and rock sugar.
- 8
Let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- 9
Thinly slice the mushrooms and transfer to a serving dish.
- 10
Heat up oil in a small pan and cook the annatto seeds on low heat for 1 minute or until it just starts to darken.
- 11
Pour the annatto seed oil into a sieve hovering over the vegetable stock and run it through broth until it no longer releases a red liquid.
- 12
Assemble your bowl with noodles, toppings, hot soup and the lemongrass blend then serve with fresh garnish and a squeeze of lime!