8 absolute must-try noodle dishes in the Mekong Delta
There are as many varieties in the Mekong Delta as there are noodles in a bowl, all delicious, check out some of the best.
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| Bun ca (fish noodles): This popular dish from An Giang is actually a Cambodian creation. The broth is spiced up with fermented moustached danio fish sauce and mam ruoc (fermented sauce made from acetes, a small variety of shrimp) which give it a rich flavor. |
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| Bun mam is another delta specialty that originated in Cambodia. However, instead of the Khmer prahok sauce (crushed, salted fermented mudfish sauce), bun mam is cooked with sauce made from moustached danio or snakeskin gourami. So the aroma isn’t as strong and it is easier to eat. |
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| Bun nuoc leo is often confused with bun mam as both dishes’ broth are cooked with the same type of fermented fish sauce. |
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| Bun goi da: Another popular dish from Soc Trang. It’s said that this dish was originally a spring roll with the usual ingredients like shrimp, vermicelli, fresh vegetables and herbs and bean sprouts. Then people started to put all these ingredients into a bowl, mix them with dipping sauce and have kept it that way until now. |
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| Bun ken is a common dish at family meals in Kien Giang. It is quite simple. It only requires 3 ingredients: vermicelli, snakehead fish and fresh herbs. The fish, after being cooked, is minced and added to a pan with some lemongrass, chillies and garlic, and stir fried until it is dry and fluffy. |
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| The main ingredients in Tra Vinh’s bun suong are fresh vermicelli, whole shrimp, thinly cut pork slices, and, the most indispensable item, shrimp sausage. Locals also add bean sprouts, lettuce and shredded cabbage to enhance the taste. |
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| Bun nham is a must-try specialty when visiting Ha Tien town, Kien Giang Province. It is made from fresh vemicelli, shredded green papaya, minced dry shrimp, bean sprout, and cucumber. |
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| Since it is a popular breakfast dish, bun bi comes in many variations around the delta. In Ca Mau, the dish is popular thanks to its noodles, which are thicker and more chewy. The noodles are eaten with bi (a combination of shredded pork and pork skin) and pork sausage. |
