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Bún Bò Huế Chay (Vegan Hue-styled Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)

Vegan Bún Bò Huế, or Bún Bò Huế Chay, is a delicious plant-based twist on the traditional Vietnamese spicy beef noodles. This version preserves the original flavors, featuring a broth crafted from slow-cooked vegetables and aromatic lemongrass for a delightful burst of flavor.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

Broth (you don't need to include all of the vegetables listed)
  • 10 cup water (2.5 liter)
  • ¼ pineaple (recommended)
  • 1 medium carrot (optional)
  • 1 leek (optional)
  • 1 apple (optional)
  • 1 corn ear (optional)
  • 4 lemongrass stalks (slightly smashed)
  • 15 small shiitake mushrooms (or 5-6 big Shiitake)
  • 1 tbsp rock sugar (15g) (to your taste)
  • 2 tbsp salt (to your taste)
  • 2 tbsp Mushroom or Vegetable seasoning powder (to your taste)
Toppings (you don't need to include all of topping listed)
  • 1 king oyster mushrooms (sliced) (optional)
  • 1 pack fried tofu puffs (optional)
  • 1 pack enoki mushrooms (optional)
  • 6 button mushrooms (sliced) (optional)
  • 2 tbsp Soy bean sauce (or Miso or Fermented Bean Curd)
  • 4 tbsp Vietnamese lemongrass chili oil (to taste)
Noodles and herbs
  • 1 pack dried rice noodles
  • Vegetables (Mung bean sprouts, thinly sliced lettuce) (optional)
  • Herbs (Cilantro, Thai Basil, Vietnamese coriander) (optional)

Instructions

Preparing the Broth:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Begin by soaking the dried shiitake mushrooms in 500ml (around 2 cups) of water for approximately 2 hours to rehydrate them. Save the soaked mushrooms for later use as toppings and retain the soaking water to incorporate into the broth.
  2. Cut the vegetables and fruits, such as apple, pineapple, carrot, and corn, into large chunks. Additionally, cut the leeks into 10-cm (4-inch) sticks.
  3. Trim the lemongrass stalks into 10-cm (4-inch) sticks and gently crush them to release their aromatic flavors.
  4. Stove-top Method: In a large pot, combine the prepared vegetables, fruits, lemongrass. Fill the pot with around 2 liters (8.5 cups) of water (adjusting according to the pot size). Add 1 tablespoon of salt and around 15 grams (1tbsp) of rock sugar. Close the lid and simmer the mixture over low heat for about 1.5 hours.Instant Pot Method: Place all similar the ingredients into the Instant Pot. Fill the Instant Pot about two-thirds full with water. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook under high pressure mode for 30 minutes. Once cooked, perform a quick release of the pressure.
  5. Once the cooking process is complete, take out the apple, leek, and pineapple from the pot. Press all the cooked vegetables through a strainer to extract any remaining umami juice. Return this juice back to the pot to intensify the flavor of the broth.
  6. Include the soaking water from the shiitake mushrooms in the broth. If necessary, add more water to achieve a total volume of approximately 3 liters (12.5 cups) for the broth.
Preparing the Toppings:
  1. Heat 4 tbsp lemongrass chili oil in a pan, adjusting the amount according to your preferred level of spiciness.
  2. Stir-fry the shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and tofu puffs (excluding enoki mushrooms) in the chili oil . Season the stir-fried toppings with 2tbsp of soybean sauce.
  3. Transfer all the stir-fried toppings to the broth, ensuring to add some broth to the pan to extract any remaining umami flavors.
  4. Add the enoki mushrooms to the broth and simmer for a few minutes, allowing all the flavors to blend together evenly.
  5. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning according to your personal preferences (add more salt and mushroom seasoning powder as desired).
Assembling Vegan Bun Bo Hue:
  1. Cook the Bun Bo Hue noodles following the instructions on the package. Once cooked, drain and rinse the noodles under cold water.
  2. Arrange the cooked rice noodles in a bowl, and top them with the tofu and mushroom toppings. Pour the flavorful broth over the noodles and toppings. Garnish the dish with your preferred herbs and enjoy!!