Bun Dau Mam Tom: Do you enjoy the stinkiest dish in Vietnam?

Is your arrival to Vietnam imminent? Do you want to stimulate your taste buds with its local fare? Well, there it goes—explosions in flavor await you in this gastronomical meadow.

It proves to be a very appealing dish for the locals to consume, but to an outsider, it just smells quite strong; you must try this hidden local dish at least once in a lifetime while you're in Vietnam: Bun dau mam tom (noodles and tofu with shrimp paste). Read along to find out the recipe for Bun dau mam tom, as well as the best places to enjoy it in this article.

Written by Oliver PHUNG (Local expert)Updated on 12-12-2024

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What is Bun Dau Mam Tom?

Bun Dau Mam Tom is made of Bun (rice noodles), Dau (deep-fried tofu), and Mam Tom (prawn paste). A well-known dish from Vietnam, particularly from the northern region, it first came from Hanoi and is considered a specialty of the capital. This dish is available all year, and tourists can find it on the corners of Hanoi.

The fried tofu, crispy and golden on the outside but soft inside, is the secret of a good Bun Dau Mam Tom. Mam Tom, the soul of the dish, should contain a balanced amount of salt and sugar. The chili-lime-mixed concoction should be thoroughly boiled to avoid cracks.

Plus, additional toppings like boiled pork, cha com, pork skins, and rolls should be added to make the prawn paste noodle perfect.

For every foreigner, the smell of Bun Dau Mam Tom can seem unpleasant and is often hard to tolerate. But once you cross over it, you will definitely enjoy it. It is as good as addicting for so many people.

Bun Dau Mam Tom Recipe: How to Prepare This Vietnamese Specialty?

It is not very difficult to prepare and make the Bun Dau Mam tom. The most important thing is to make a delicious prawn pasta sauce - Mam tom. We have to prepare ourselves in the following way:

Ingredients for Bun Dau Mam Tom

• Tofu: 10 pieces
• Pork belly: 500 g
• Noodles: 1 kg
• Shrimp paste: 1/2 cup
• Chopped chili: 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
• White sugar: 1 tablespoon
• Cooking oil: 6 tablespoons
• Perilla leaves (Perilla frutescens): 100 g, aromatic herbs
• Cucumber: 200 g

How Vietnamese People Make Bun Dau Mam Tom: Step-by-Step

1. Firstly, cut each tofu piece into fine portions, then pan-fry over medium heat until all sides are golden brown and crisp, while soft on the inside.
2. Wash, drain, and cook the flesh of the pork. Boil it, then take out the meat and cut it into thin slices that you will now put upon a plate.
3. Wash cucumbers properly and chop them into thin slices.
4. For aromatic herbs, the old branches and yellow leaves have to be cut away. Wash and rinse them, soak them in a solution of diluted brine for about half an hour, and remove them to dry.
5. Portion the noodles into small pieces just as described below.
6. The original sauce is prepared by mixing 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon glutamate, and 1 teaspoon chopped chili into the shrimp paste and stir.
7. Put the ingredients on the plate or tray and arrange a little garnish for a more beautiful and appetizing presentation of the dish. Now you can enjoy the taste.

How to Enjoy Bun Dau Mam Tom Like a Local?

Bun Dau Mam Tom is one of those dishes that can serve you well at any time of the day – breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Since the soul of the dish is the shrimp paste, you have to make this carefully.

First, add kumquat or lemon juice, sugar, and chili slices to the shrimp paste. Just remember to add them little by little and taste the sauce to ensure that it pleases your palate. Then stir this mixture until it bubbles on its surface.

After putting together a mini bowl portion of shrimp paste, you have to take some chopsticks, hold a piece of noodle or any other ingredient, and dip it into the shrimp paste to enjoy with the herbs.

After the meal, you might want to have a cup of tea or chew gum, which will help get rid of the foul smell of food lingering in your mouth.

Where to Try the Bun Dau Mam Tom?

You can find this dish both in Hanoi. We suggest some places where you can go to eat it.

Where to Find the Best Bun Dau Mam Tom in Hanoi

1 - Bun dau mam tom Trung Huong

Bun Dau Restaurant has long existed in the Hoan Kiem district of Hanoi. The restaurant's dish is made with the finest carefully selected ingredients: imported prawn pasta from Thanh Hoa, the famous tofu from Mo village, and fine noodles.

Address: 49, Phat Loc Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Hours: 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

2 - Bun dau mam tom Co Tuyen (Mrs. Tuyen)

The Bun Dau Mam tom dish of this place is characterized by using a tray that is filled with crispy fried tofu, aromatic and fatty sausages, noodles in small portions that adapt to the mouth, boiled pork is cut into thin and soft slices, and finally the cha com with very little oil.

The prawn pasta here is also quite good and satisfying, served with crispy andouillettes, the sweet and fragrant cha com... Overall, it's pretty good. Despite the large number of customers received, the service is fast.

Address: 31, Lane 29, Hang Khay Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Price: 30,000 - 50,000 VND

3 - Bun dau mam tom Ngo Gach

Although it is located on the sidewalk, the space of this restaurant is well organized and very clean. The owner is always cheerful. A serving of bun dau mam tom includes: fresh noodles, hot tofus, cha com, spring rolls, pork... as well as prawn pasta to your liking.

Address: 4, Ngo Gach Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Opening hours: 10:00 - 21:00

Price: 25,000 - 50,000 VND

4 - Bun dau mam tom Ngo Tram

Bun Dau Mam Tom is served here on a platter, which is an indispensable item in Vietnamese main dishes. Especially, the place to eat is very close to Hanoi's Old Quarter and Tong Duy Tan's food street. You can try other tasty Vietnamese foods. One downside to coming here is that at noon, you'll have to wait a bit to get a seat and be served.

Address: 1B, Ngo Tram Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Hours: 7:30 - 15:00

5 - Bun dau mam tom Ma May

She has been famous since she was in Dong Thai Lane, now she has moved to an address in Ma May, but her fame has not diminished. Although the price of a serving of the Bun Dau Mam tom there is not cheap like the others, it is undeniable about its deliciousness and its quality. Among the side dishes, cha com and boiled meat are two dishes that are rated best by many people. One note is that it's very crowded at noon, so you should arrive early.

Address: 5, Ma May Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Opening hours: 7:00 - 18:00

The Bun Dau Mam tom in Ma May is very famous in Hanoi

CONCLUSION

Whenever we talk about Vietnamese food, it invariably brings into perspective the Pho, Bun Bo Hue, and the list goes on. On the next trip to Vietnam, one dish that you must savor is, to many international tourists, the 'Bun Dau Mam Tom'; this dish actually comes from Hanoi. The smell of shrimp paste is initially an unpleasant experience, and one could even shy away from tasting it. But what you may have thought was unpleasant is actually very delicious after getting past this bad reputation and may end up being one of your favorite dishes. There is also Kampa Tour to book fitting travel if you are too busy to manage your traveling schedule to experience this cuisine and culture and get to know Vietnam better.

Learn more about Vietnamese cuisine:

• Banh mi: origins and recipes of the best Vietnamese snack
• Untangling the truth of 'Phở': between history, recipe and tradition
• Bun bo Hue, history and recipe of one of the best noodle soups in the world

Image source: internet