Three breakfast dishes that warm the stomachs of Hanoians

Chicken pho, wonton noodles, and bun thang are all familiar dishes of Hanoians with broth simmered from bones, but each has its own flavor.

Hanoi's cold weather is perfect for hot, light dishes like pho, especially early in the morning, before you rush to work or school.

Chicken Pho

Pho is a unique culinary culture of Hanoi. Not as rich and aromatic as beef pho, chicken pho is attractive because of its light taste. With the same amount of pho noodles, but after finishing a bowl, one does not feel full but just feels adequate, enough to warm the stomach on a chilly morning.

A bowl of chicken pho with shimmering broth, eye-catching with the yellow color of chicken meat and skin and the green color of vegetables and onions. Photo: Dinh Huong

That is thanks to the restaurant's pho broth, which is not as fatty and cloudy as pork bone broth, nor as strong and greasy as beef bone broth. The broth is made from chicken bones, so it is clear, light and sweet. If you are not afraid of fat, you have to remind the restaurant to add more fat. If you do not like fat, the seller can just scoop the clear broth into the bowl for you.

The soft white rice noodles are neatly arranged in the middle of the bowl, highlighting the soft but firm chicken, thinly sliced, with light yellow skin. The bowl of pho is served with green onions, cilantro, julienned lemon leaves and a few slices of fresh red chili. Some places also add blood, gizzards or a few young eggs to the bowl of pho.

Depending on your preference, you can order pho with thighs, pho with flanks, pho with wings. To eat delicious pho with chicken, remember to visit the restaurants on Hang Dieu, Quan Thanh and Yet Kieu streets. Prices start from only 30,000 VND per bowl.

Wonton noodles

Following the Chinese into Vietnam in the 1930s, wonton noodles have now almost completely transformed into a Vietnamese dish, enriching the culinary scene of the capital Hanoi.

The egg-yellow wonton noodles are very attractive to diners. Photo: Huong Chi.

Unlike vermicelli, glass noodles, and pho dishes, where the broth is mostly made from one type of bone, wonton noodle broth must contain pork bones, chicken bones, dried sturgeon, shrimp shells, Chinese herbs, etc. The ingredients are simmered over a long heat to create a rich, spicy flavor. The noodles must be small, golden, and have an eggy aroma. When cooked, they must retain their chewy texture, not becoming soft or mushy.

The vendor placed the noodles in a bowl, then added a boiled egg, liver, shrimp, dumplings, a few wontons, shiitake mushrooms, and blanched green vegetables before pouring the broth over. The last ingredient added was a handful of chives cut into finger-length pieces.

Wonton noodles are best eaten hot. Remember to sip a spoonful of soup first to feel the characteristic aroma, then taste the smooth, chewy, egg-scented wontons.

Some delicious wonton noodle shops in Hanoi are located on Hoa Ma, Dinh Liet, Nguyen Bieu, and Hang Chieu streets with prices ranging from 35,000 to 50,000 VND per bowl.

Bun thang

When mentioning Hanoi, no one can not know about Bun thang. This dish used to be cooked only on holidays and people only ate it when winter came.

A delicious bowl of Bun Thang is made from a sweet, clear, and non-greasy broth made from chicken stock, grilled shallots, shiitake mushrooms, and dried shrimp. Some places add sea worms to enhance the flavor of the broth.

The preparation of Bun thang is quite elaborate, deboning and tearing the chicken into small pieces, thinly omelette, pre-cut pork roll and eggs, and pickled radish. When eating, just scoop the noodles into a bowl and arrange the ingredients one by one, without mixing them together.

If you want to eat delicious Bun Thang, you can go to the restaurants in Cau Go, Hang Chi, Hang Hom with prices starting from 35,000 VND per bowl.

According to VnExpress