Bún riêu facts for kids
A bowl of bún riêu and a dish of vegetables.
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| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Vietnam |
| Region or state | Southeast Asia |
| Main ingredients | Tomato, shrimp paste, meat, rice vermicelli |
| Variations | Bún riêu cua |
Bún riêu is a yummy traditional Vietnamese soup. It's made with clear broth and thin rice noodles called vermicelli. There are different kinds of bún riêu, like bún riêu cua (which has minced crab), bún riêu cá (with fish), and bún riêu ốc (with snails).
Bún riêu cua is the most popular type. It's served with a tasty tomato broth. On top, you'll find minced freshwater crab. This dish uses special crabs found in rice paddies in Vietnam.
To make the soup, the crabs are cleaned very well. Then, they are ground up, shells and all, into a fine paste. This paste is strained to get a flavorful crab liquid. This liquid becomes the base for the soup, mixed with tomatoes. The leftover crab bits are used to make delicious crab cakes.
Other ingredients in bún riêu cua can include tamarind paste and fried tofu. Sometimes, cooks add special kinds of rice vinegar to give it a tangy taste. Annatto seeds are used to make the broth a nice reddish color. Some versions also have a special ingredient that adds iron.
This soup is often served with fresh vegetables. These include split water spinach stems, shredded banana flower, and bean sprouts. You might also find herbs like rau kinh giới (a type of mint), spearmint, and perilla. Sometimes, vegetarian sausage is added too.
Bún riêu is very healthy! It has calcium from the crab shells. It also has iron from other ingredients. Plus, you get lots of vitamins and fiber from all the fresh vegetables.
Bún riêu has a fresh and slightly sour flavor. Because of this, Vietnamese people love to eat it, especially during the summer. You can find many restaurants in Vietnam that sell this delicious dish.
What's in Bún Riêu?
Here are some common ingredients you might find in bún riêu:
- Crab: This includes the crab meat and a special part called crab roe.
- Tomato: Gives the soup its color and a slightly sweet, tangy flavor.
- Egg: Often used to help form the crab cakes or added to the broth.
- Sour Flavors: Ingredients like garcinia multiflora, dracontomelon, tamarind, starfruit, or rice vinegar are used to make the soup tangy.
- Onion: Adds flavor to the broth.
- Fried Tofu: Soft and delicious pieces of fried tofu.
- Fresh Greens: Such as sliced banana flowers and water spinach.
- Herbs: Like perilla and Vietnamese balm for extra aroma and taste.
See also
In Spanish: Bún riêu para niños
