When embarking on a journey through Vietnam, tasting the renowned Vietnamese seafood soup is a must. This dish is a delicious embodiment of Vietnamese cuisine, representing the country's rich culinary heritage. Whether you're exploring bustling markets or enjoying a seaside meal, indulging in the authentic Vietnamese seafood soup is an essential part of your Vietnam travel experience.
1. Vietnamese seafood noodle soup (bun hai san)
Vietnamese noodles are traditional Vietnamese dishes that have been a part of Vietnamese culture for generations. However, the origin of Vietnamese seafood noodle soup is different. This seafood noodle soup originates from Thailand, a beautiful country known for its culinary delights. All the flavors blend together wonderfully, providing diners with a rich, spicy, and enticing experience full of heat and excitement.
1.1. Ingredients
Here's a Vietnamese seafood noodle soup recipe for you to recreate this savory dish at home:
- Fresh vermicelli: 500g
- Prawns: 300g (preferably fresh)
- Squid: 300g (preferably fresh)
- Fish cakes: 200g
- 2 pieces of firm tofu
- 2 liters of bone broth (made with pork bones)
- 30g of wood ear mushrooms
- 1 bunch of Chinese mustard greens, tomato, fresh turmeric
1.2. Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
- Clean the prawns and squid, blanch them in boiling water briefly, then drain.
- Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms until they expand. Expedite with boiling water if needed.
- Clean the Chinese mustard greens, removing the roots and damaged leaves.
- Pan-fry the tofu and fish cakes for a golden tender texture, avoiding over-frying.
Step 2: Cook Vietnamese seafood noodle soup
- Bring the bone broth to a boil in a pot.
- Blanch the squid and prawns, then put them in iced water to maintain the firmness and remove any fishy taste.
- Slice the squid into bite-sized pieces and stir-fry with the prawns using fish sauce.
- Keep the bone broth simmering on low heat for flavor.
- Add the soaked wood ear mushrooms to the broth, season with seasoning powder, fish sauce, and a bit of turmeric for taste enhancement.
2. Crab soup (sup cua) - a popular Vietnamese seafood soup
Crab soup, with its vibrant colors from the crab and assorted vegetables, particularly stands out. This dish is not only visually appealing but also rich in nutrients beneficial for one's health. This Vietnamese food is best enjoyed on cold days. It can also serve as a delightful appetizer for gatherings and events.
2.1. Ingredients
This is a Vietnamese crab soup recipe you can refer to:
- Crab meat: 150g
- Bones for broth: 1kg
- Sweet corn: 1 ear
- Chicken breast: 100g
- Straw mushrooms: 50g
- Snow mushrooms: 50g
- Eggs: 2
- Tapioca starch: 50g
- Quail eggs (pre-boiled, shells removed): 10
- Quail egg (peeled): 1
- Coriander: 10g
- Seasonings (salt/pepper/sesame oil): 20g
2.2. Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Vietnamese seafood soup broth
Boil and rinse the bones to remove impurities. Simmer the bones for about 1 hour, then strain to obtain 1 liter of broth for this Vietnamese seafood soup.
Step 2: Prepare the ingredients
- Chicken: Boil until cooked, then shred into thin strips.
- Sweet corn: Wash thoroughly and remove the kernels.
- Straw mushrooms and snow mushrooms: Soak in water to rehydrate then cut into thin strips.
- Mix tapioca starch with 30ml of water.
Step 3: Cook
- Bring the broth to a boil.
- Add sweet corn, shredded chicken, and straw mushrooms.
- Cook until the ingredients are tender. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt, adjusting to taste.
Step 4: Finish this Vietnamese seafood soup
- Add crab meat and the snow mushrooms to the soup.
- Slowly pour in the tapioca starch mixture while stirring continuously until the soup thickens to the desired consistency. Be cautious not to pour it all at once to avoid excessive thickness.
- Gently pour in beaten eggs in a steady stream to create an appealing pattern in this Vietnamese seafood soup. Cook until the soup changes color then add quail eggs.
- Add ground pepper and chili to taste.
- Enjoy this delightful bowl of Vietnamese seafood soup!
>>> Discover how to make Vietnamese vermicelli noodles!
3. Vietnamese seafood hotpot (lau hai san)
Vietnamese seafood hotpot is a delightful dish that captures the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. The taste of this Vietnamese hotpot is a harmonious blend of savory, umami-rich seafood flavors and aromatic spices and herbs that define Vietnamese cooking.
3.1. Ingredients
- Beef: 200g
- Barramundi fish: 200g
- Clams: 200g
- Shrimp: 200g
- Squid: 200g
- Shallots: 1 bulb
- Tomato: 1 fruit
- Pineapple: 1/4 fruit
- Shiitake mushrooms: 5 pieces
- Enoki mushrooms: 100g
- Chili peppers: a few slices
- Lemongrass: 2 stalks
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Ginger: 1 small piece
- Beef broth: 1.5 liters
- Thai hotpot seasoning: 1 packet
- Cooking oil: 2 tablespoons
- Assorted vegetables for hotpot such as water spinach and chrysanthemum greens
3.2. Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the seafood
- Clean and soak the clams in sliced chili for 30-50 mins to remove the sand, then rinse with clean water.
- Clean and thinly slice the beef. Clean and cut the squid into pieces. Peel and devein the shrimp. Slice the fish filet into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Prepare other ingredients
- Peel and cut the pineapple into small pieces. Clean and cut the tomato into medium-sized pieces.
- Peel and crush the garlic. Slice the ginger into strips. Slice the lemongrass.
- Prepare the accompanying vegetables and mushrooms by cleaning, discarding the tough stems, and slicing as needed.
Step 3: Cook
- Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a pot. Stir-fry crushed garlic until fragrant.
- Add the pineapple and tomato, stir-frying for 3 mins. Add lemongrass, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms. Stir for 2 more minutes.
- Pour in 1.5 liters of bone broth. Add Thai hotpot seasoning. Bring to a boil, adjust the seasoning, and reduce to medium heat.
- Gradually add the squid, fish filet, shrimp, clams, vegetables, beef, and enoki mushrooms. Let them cook until ready.
4. Vietnamese seafood noodle soup with pork (hu tieu nam vang)
Among the exceptional offerings in the Vietnam food list, hu tieu nam vang stands out as a distinctive noodle dish carefully prepared with a medley of fillings, promising a gratifying culinary adventure.
4.1. Ingredients
- 1kg of pork bones
- 400g of white radish
- 50g of dried shrimp
- Dried shallots, ginger, garlic
- 300g of lean pork
- 200g of fresh shrimp
- 200g of pork heart
- 150g of pork liver
- 150g of ground pork shoulder
- 20 quail eggs
- 10g of dried shrimp floss
- Rice noodles
- Accompaniments: Lettuce, cilantro, water spinach (optional), bean sprouts, fried shallots, pickled garlic, lime, chili, chives or scallions, etc.
4.2. Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pork hock
- Thoroughly clean the pork hock.
- Boil the pork hock with 1 liter of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pork hock. Rinse with cold water to remove impurities and excess salt.
Step 2: Prepare other ingredients
- Boil the quail eggs for 10 minutes, then peel them.
- Soak the dry rice noodles in cold water for about 5 minutes, then cook until just tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Peel and finely chop the shallots.
- Trim and clean green onions, separating the white and green parts. Chop the green parts finely.
Step 3: Make the meat sauce
- Combine the shrimp and minced pork in a bowl. Add ground pepper, seasoning powder, sugar, MSG, half of the chopped shallots, and cooking oil. Mix well.
- Sauté the remaining chopped shallots in a pot with cooking oil, then add the shrimp and pork. Stir well and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes over low heat.
Step 4: Prepare the broth
- In a pressure cooker, add 2 liters of water and the prepared pork hock. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook in the pressure cooker for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, add the remaining chopped shallots and split shallots into the pot. Season with salt, seasoning powder, sugar, and MSG. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining shrimp into the pot and cook for about 5 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
>>> Explore: Vietnamese rice noodles: 15 must-tries for every traveler
5. Pho seafood noodle soup (pho hai san) - a must-try Vietnamese seafood soup
A renowned Vietnamese classic, seafood pho is a delightful twist on the traditional pho. It features a rich, slightly sweet broth made from chicken bones and a medley of seafood. This famous Vietnamese food highlights succulent shrimp, flavorful clams, tender squid, and aromatic ingredients like onions, mushrooms, and coriander, creating a symphony of flavors and textures that delight the senses.
5.1. Ingredients
- Seafood: 300g of fresh shrimp, 300g of fresh squid, 1kg of fresh clams, 300g of snakehead fish filet
- 500g of beef bones
- Pho noodles
- 5 cloves of dried garlic, 2 stalks of lemongrass
- Coriander seeds
- 100g of bean sprouts
- Onions, ginger, dried shallots, cilantro, lime, chili
- Various spices: fish sauce, salt, seasoning powder
5.2. Instructions
- Boil the shrimp, squid, fish, and clams. Slice them afterward.
- Make the broth. Add chicken bones, seared onions, and field mushrooms.
- Spice up the broth with cardamom, cinnamon, anise, coriander seeds, sea salt, fennel seeds, and cloves. Let it simmer for 40 minutes.
- Soften the pho noodles by briefly soaking them in boiling water.
- To serve this Vietnamese seafood soup, place the noodles in a bowl, ladle the broth, add boiled seafood, and garnish with coriander and onions.
You can savor these delightful dishes in numerous destinations throughout Vietnam, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Ha Long. Each city offers a unique culinary adventure, showcasing the flavorsome gastronomy that Vietnam is renowned for.
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Vietnamese seafood soup stands aas a quintessential representation of Vietnam's culinary prowess, encapsulating the nation's deep-rooted connection to the sea. Its blend of fresh seafood coupled with aromatic broth makes for a satisfying and heart-warming meal. This dish not only tantalizes the palate but also tells a story of Vietnam's coastal culture, inviting all who savor it to immerse themselves in the essence of Vietnamese gastronomy.
