Not only is it a rustic dish, bun nuoc leo crystallizes the flavor and culture, bearing a unique intersection mark between the three ethnic groups Kinh, Khmer and Hoa. This harmony has created a rich, different and attractive dish.
The "soul" of bun nuoc leo is the broth. First of all, pork bones are simmered for many hours to create a natural sweetness, combined with dried shrimp to increase richness.
In particular, after boiling, the snakehead fish will be removed from the meat, the bones will be crushed and then filtered to get the broth, making the broth even sweeter and rounder.
One of the factors that creates the uniqueness of Mekong Delta noodle soup is mắm bò hóc - a traditional mắm of the Khmer people. The mắm is carefully processed, filtered out the quintessential juice, and when cooked, it creates a characteristic strong aroma.
However, to make the fish sauce taste gentle and more suitable for the common taste, in recent years, Soc Trang people often use linh fish sauce or sack fish sauce to cook broth. To make the broth standard, the cook also combines vermicelli with lemongrass to reduce fishy smell and create fragrance.
The toppings of bun nuoc leo are even more attractive because of the diverse toppings. A full bowl of bun includes fresh bun, snakehead fish, crispy roasted shrimp and pork, served with raw vegetables such as water spinach, banana flower, Vietnamese coriander, bean sprouts... creating a balance between fatty, salty and refreshing tastes. Some places also serve with banh cong or cha gio, adding to the richness.
Tourists can easily find famous vermicelli restaurants from the center of Soc Trang ward to local markets. Each bowl of vermicelli usually has a price ranging from about 30,000 to 60,000 VND, depending on the needs of diners.
Bun Nuoc Leo can be enjoyed at any time of the day because the specialty brings a complete and warm feeling to diners from near and far.
