Bún Bung: A Comprehensive Overview

Fact: Bún bung is a specialty of Hanoi and Thai Binh province.

#106 in Vietnam

Bún Bung (Bún Sườn Dọc Mùng): Basic Information

Pronunciation

/boon bung/

Alternative Name(s)

Bún dọc mùng, bún chân giò

Dish Type

Noodle soups, rice dishes.

Course

Main Course

Mealtime

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Popular Variations

Hanoi-Style Bún Bung
Thai Binh-Style Bún Bung

Bún Bung (Bún Sườn Dọc Mùng): Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Northern Vietnam

Associated Region

Hanoi and Thai Binh

Bún Bung (Bún Sườn Dọc Mùng): Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Rice noodles, pork ribs, pork trotters, pork bones, ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, giant elephant ear stems, and sour fermented rice or tomatoes.

Main Cooking Method

Boiling and simmering

Preparation Process

Cooking pork ribs, pork trotters, pork bones in water, removing pork ribs and pork trotters and continuing to simmer pork bones to make the broth, forming meatballs from pork and wood ear mushrooms, processing the other ingredients, and assembling bún bung.

Bún Bung (Bún Sườn Dọc Mùng): A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

A traditional dish in Northern Vietnam

Taste

Savory and sour

Texture

Soft noodles, juicy meat, crunchy cooked vegetables

Aroma

Rich

Color

Colorful

Serving Style

In a bowl and eaten with chopsticks

Serving Temperature

Hot

Accompaniment

Nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce)
Greens and fragrant herbs: lettuce, sliced banana blossoms, Vietnamese balm, water spinach

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Non diet-specific

Calories

Unspecified

Popularity

Northern Vietnam

Popular Similar Dishes

Bún Mọc
Bún Giò

Popular Dining Area

Restaurants and households in Vietnam.

Bún bung is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup popular in the northern region, especially in Hanoi and Thai Binh province. It is famous for featuring a large amount of pork (pork ribs and ground pork) and a deeply flavorful broth.

Bún bung typically features pork ribs, pork meatballs, and pork trotters. Meanwhile, the broth is prepared from pork bones, pork trotters, pork fat, dọc mùng (giant elephant ear or Colocasia gigantea) stems, and mẻ (sour fermented rice) or tomatoes.

The broth of bún bung has a savory yet balanced flavor with sweet and tangy undertones. The version in Thai Binh also incorporates sliced banana blossoms and chả lá xương sông (pork wrapped in the leaves of a local herb).

Some people mistake bún bung for bún mọc, but the latter is a different noodle soup from Hanoi. Bún bung is also known as bún dọc mùng (rice noodles with giant elephant ear) and bún chân giò (rice noodles with pork trotters).

About the official name, “bún” means “rice noodles,” while “bung” refers to the special broth for the noodle soup. Bung is a local term for a large copper cauldron that was used to cook bún bung broth in the past, hence the name.

Stay tuned for more interesting facts about bún bung, such as its upsides, downsides, and frequently asked questions. I will also recommend a few similar dishes of this Northern Vietnamese noodle soup.

Key Points

Bún bung is a traditional Northern Vietnamese noodle soup from Hanoi and Thai Binh provinces.
There are slight differences in the ingredients between bún bung in the two places.
The main ingredients of bún bung are rice noodles, pork ribs, pork meatballs, pork trotters, giant elephant ear stems, and sour fermented rice or tomatoes.
Bún bung isn’t the same thing as bún mọc.

Pros and Cons of Eating Bún Bung

Bún bung has the following advantages and disadvantages.

Pros

Diverse Flavor Profile: Bún bung boasts a flavorful broth combining savoriness with sweetness and tanginess.
Nutritional Value: Thanks to its various ingredients, bún bung is a balanced meal with protein, carbs, fiber, and essential nutrients.
Versatility: The dish can be customized with various toppings and ingredients based on personal preferences or regional variations.
Comfort Food: Like many Vietnamese noodle soups, hot bún bung is an excellent comfort food for chilly days.

Cons

Preparation Time: Cooking bún bung broth from scratch can be a time-consuming process.
Availability: Outside of its home region in Hanoi and Thai Binh, finding bún bung is a challenging task.
Allergens: Giant elephant ear stems, a vital bún bung ingredient, can cause itching and a burning sensation in the mouth if not thoroughly cooked.

After discovering the pros and cons of bún bung, let’s learn about the other features of this noodle soup in the FAQs section.

Bún Bung FAQs

Yes, bún bung is a nutritious and wholesome dish for people of all ages. Many Vietnamese people often serve this noodle soup to people recovering from illness.

No, bún bung isn’t as well-known as mainstream Vietnamese noodle soup outside its home region in Hanoi and Thai Binh. But many big cities in Vietnam, such as Ho Chi Minh City, have eateries offering this noodle soup.

Similar Dishes of Bún Bung (Bún Sườn Dọc Mùng)

Bún Mọc

Bún mọc is a Vietnamese noodle dish from the Moc village, made using a pork base with pork baby back ribs, auricularia auricula, ground meat, morning glory, coriander, and lime juice.

Bún Giò

Bún giò is a Vietnamese dish that consists of rice noodles, pork trotters and bones, and a clear and savory broth.

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Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.