BÚN CHẢ CÁ Nha Trang Fish Cake Noodle Soup

If you ever tasted Nha Trang style fish cake noodle soup, you know it's unforgettable. That naturally sweet broth, those golden fish cakes with a perfect bounce. Today I'm showing you how to make this cultural comfort food at home and my favorite trick to get that springy fish cake texture using just a ziplock bag. We start with 16 ounces of fish paste. I'm using featherback fish paste from City Choice. Super convenient and made from 100% real fish with no additives. It saves time without compromising on quality. Perfect for making bouncy homemade fish cakes. Season with salt, fish sauce, stock powder, pepper and some chopped green onions for flavor and color. Now here's my favorite part. Knead the mixture inside a large ziplock bag for about 10 minutes. It helps develop a signature bounce for the real cha ca. And doing this feels like playing with swishies. Shape the mixture into two flat patties and steam one patties for about 20 minutes. Then brush egg yolk on top and steam for another two minutes for a nice color. Deep fry the other patty until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. I also fry some fish balls to add more visual interest to my bowl. Now on to the flaked fish. You can use tuna or mackerel. Fillet the fish and soak in salted water for 10 minutes and pat dry. Then marinate with grated ginger, some cooking oil to reduce the fishy smell, fish sauce, stock powder and pepper. Rub all over the fish and let sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Also steam the fish for about 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through and leave to cool. Gently flake the fish into bite-sized pieces. This adds authentic texture and richness to the bowl. Next, cut tomatoes into wedges and the pineapple into half-inch slices. It's now time to build the broth. Bring 4 liters of water to a boil and simmer the fish bones with half of the pineapple. For a beautiful aroma, I grill shallots and ginger and cilantro roots until charred and add to the broth. Simmer for about 45 to 60 minutes over medium low. Occasionally skim off the foam for clarity. Then strain. You will get a naturally sweet, aromatic and clean tasting broth. In a pan, heat 3 tablespoons of annatto oil and add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and shallots and saute until fragrant and then stir in the tomatoes and the rest of the pineapple. This gives the broth a bright and tangy flavor. Stir the tomatoes and pineapple mixture into the broth. Season to taste with fish cake, salt and sugar to your preference. Let simmer for about 10 to 15 more minutes. For the noodles, I'm using thin round rice vermicelli, the kind you can cook straight from dried. Just follow the package instructions. I really like Phuoc Loc Tho brand for its smooth texture and quick cooking time. Like many Vietnamese dishes, this noodle soup isn't complete without fresh herbs and veggie. For the side plate, I shave some cabbage finely and mix it with bean sprouts, fragrant herbs like Thai basil, mint and cilantro. It adds crunch, freshness and that unmistakable Vietnamese touch. Finally, cut the fried and steamed fish cakes into bite-sized pieces and you're ready to assemble the noodle bowl. Place the rice vermicelli noodles to fill one third of the bowl. Then top with the fried fish cake, the flake fish and then ladle in the hot broth. Garnish with chopped green onion and there you have it, Nha Trang fish cake noodle soup, full of love and coastal flavor. So comforting. Give it a try and share a photo of your final dish on social media with hashtag Helen Recipes. I'm so excited to see them. Thank you for watching. See you next time. Bye!