Duck noodle soup with bamboo shoots - bun mang vit

Do you think Pho is the only good Vietnamese noodle?! If so, please ask a Vietnamese of their favourite noodle to discover we have much more than that.

This time, I am going to introduce duck noodle, a dish I cooked (asked to cook), every time visited my parents - they farmed chicken and duck.

It's my way of cooking and marinating, that makes the dish special and being complimented time after time. It beats any version you ever taste, even in Vietnam.

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS

1 (4-6lb.) duck
2lb. bamboo shoots
1-2 packs dried vermicelli, cooked, dried and fluffed
1 cup of thinly sliced spring onion and sawtooth herb, to garnish
Fish sauce, salt, sugar
Lightly toasted black pepper, coarse ground
2 tsp. lime/lemon juice

Marinate mix:
1 oz. ginger , sliced and pounded
1 bird eyes chilli, deseeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Lightly toasted black pepper, coarse ground
Fish sauce, salt, sugar
1-2 tsp. cooking wine or vinegar

Broth seasoning:
1 onion, grilled and peeled
1oz. ginger, grilled, scraped black skin and bruised

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-2 bird eyes chilli, sliced
1-3 cloves garlic

FOR THE SIDE DISHES
Fragrant herbs, mainly Thai basil, sawtooth herb
Garlic pickle (optional)
Chilli sauce (optional)
Lime/lemon wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the duck: Chop duck wings, legs and neck into small pieces and toss with the marinate mix, cover and let marinate at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Cover the rest (body) with cold or better warm water, add 1-2 tbsp of salt, bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer till cooked. Take out the duck, leave to cool then slice duck breast or flake then marinate with black pepper, sugar, salt and 2 tsp. lime/lemon juice. The rest of the duck, chop in to pieces and serve as side dish with noodles or flake the meat, marinate (as with duck breast) and put the born back to the stock and simmer.
2. Meanwhile, slice bamboo shoots lengthwise to 1/3 “ thick strips, blanch in boiled water, (added 2 tsp salt), for 5 minutes. Rinse under cold running water and drain; Grilled ginger and onion, peel onion skin, scrape ginger skin and bruised.
3. Make the noodle broth: Place the marinated duck into a large pot, stir on high heat, add bamboo shoot, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar to taste, deeper than normal. Stir for 10 minutes then add water to the ingredients level depth, reduce the heat, add grilled ginger, onion and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Before serving, add duck stock, from boiled duck, and season again.
4. While waiting for the broth, cook vermicelli, please go to, how to cook rice vermicelli for the instruction; Make dipping sauce by combine all dipping sauce ingredients; Prepare garnishing, table salad and dinning table.
5. Assemble the noodle: bring a small pot of water to rolling boil, place one or two portion of noodle on the vertical-handle strainer (or sieve). Dunk the strainer into the boiling water and stir or shake, leave for 5-10 seconds then lift the strainer and let water drain back into the pot, give it final shakes and pour the noodle to serving bowl. Pour in the hot broth with bamboo shoot pieces to cover well, top with sliced scallions and sawtooth herbs and marinated duck breast.
6. Serve with table salad, chilli sauce (optional), garlic pickled (optional), lemon/lime wedges, boiled duck and dipping sauce.