Eel noodle soup is a specialty of Hung Yen, most famous in Pho Hien area (spread over Lam Son and Hong Chau wards, Hung Yen city, Hung Yen province).

This noodle dish was recognized as one of the 100 Vietnamese specialties (2020 - 2021) announced by the Vietnam Record Association.

Not only does it look appealing, eel vermicelli soup also attracts diners with its unique flavor, a combination of many different ingredients. “To create delicious, standard bowls of eel vermicelli soup, many ingredients are needed.

Not to mention, preparing and processing each ingredient also takes effort and time, so the cook must be patient and skillful to do it well," Ms. Phuong - owner of an eel noodle shop in Hung Yen city shared with VietNamNet reporter.

Eel noodle soup Ta Thu Hien.jpg
Eel noodle soup is one of the famous specialties in Hung Yen. Photo: Ta Thu Hien

According to Ms. Phuong, Hung Yen eel vermicelli soup is different from Hanoi vermicelli soup. The most distinguishable points are the accompanying ingredients and the broth.

A bowl of eel vermicelli soup will include vermicelli, eel meat, pork roll, fried egg, fried pork belly, etc. served with broth made from crab, sea worms and dried shrimp, seasoned with a little shrimp paste for a distinctive aroma.

The vermicelli used must be the tangled vermicelli of Vien Tieu vermicelli village (Tien Lu, Hung Yen). The vermicelli is of moderate thickness, soft but slightly chewy.

Eel to cook bun thang must be live, healthy, not too big but thick and firm.

“Put the live eel in a basin, sprinkle some salt on it, then cover it tightly so that the eel will struggle vigorously, removing the slime from its skin. Then, the eel is cleaned, boiled, deboned, and the meat is separated. The process of removing the eel meat requires meticulousness so that the meat is not crushed and is of uniform size,” said Ms. Phuong.

Hung Yen eel vermicelli is elaborately prepared from many different ingredients. Photo: @hilbabe

The eel is then marinated with some spices such as turmeric, ginger, shallots, salt, etc. to remove the fishy smell, create eye-catching color and increase richness. Wait about 15-20 minutes for the eel to absorb the spices, then deep-fry with shallots.

Depending on the place and its own secret, some restaurants will filter the meat while the eel is still alive and marinate it instead of boiling it first.

Frying eel meat also requires the cook to have experience in "watching" the heat and time, helping the eel to cook evenly, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and have a beautiful brown color.

The remaining ingredients such as ham, fried eggs, crispy fried pork belly, etc. are also meticulously prepared, ensuring the aesthetics of the dish.

The pork roll is cut into long, crispy strips and has the aroma of banana leaves. The eggs are spread thinly and then cut into strips. The pork belly is cut into small pieces and fried until crispy.

Finally, the broth is considered the “soul” of the dish. The broth of eel vermicelli soup is usually made from field crabs, simmered with marrow bones. Depending on the place and restaurant, people can add sea worms and dried shrimp to enhance the natural sweetness.

eel vermicelli soup Hang Nguyen.jpg
A bowl of eel vermicelli soup costs from 40,000 to 60,000 VND, depending on the amount of ingredients. Photo: Hang Nguyen

When enjoying Hung Yen eel vermicelli, diners also add a little shrimp paste, served with raw vegetables including thinly sliced ​​banana flowers, Vietnamese coriander, lettuce, coriander, Vietnamese balm, perilla, etc. to fully experience the flavor.

Hung Yen eel vermicelli soup impresses with its visual harmony with the white color of vermicelli, the brown color of eel, the yellow color of eggs, etc. mixed with the green color of Vietnamese coriander and green onions.

Eel noodle soup is a dish that contains the culinary culture quintessence of Pho Hien land from the past to the present.

“The highlight of this specialty is the large, thick piece of eel meat, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, not as wrinkled or dry as mixed eel vermicelli and not as soft as vermicelli with eel in water. The eel meat is skillfully processed so it does not have small bones or a fishy smell.

“Eel noodle soup is easy to eat and can be enjoyed by both adults and children. I usually eat 2 bowls and still crave more,” said Ms. Phuong Thao (in Hung Yen City).

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