Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 6-8
- 500 g (1.1 lb) rice vermicelli (or mung bean vermicelli)
- 6 lettuce or iceberg leaves, shredded
- 2 cucumbers, cut into matchsticks or thin rounds
- 2 carrots, grated or cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 package (about 300 g / 10 oz) fresh bean sprouts
For the bo bun sweet-and-sour sauce (adjust to taste)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 small ladles (about 120 ml / ½ cup) soy sauce (or half soy, half ponzu sauce)
- 1 ladle (about 60 ml / ¼ cup) lime juice (or lemon juice if you don’t have any)
- 1/2 ladle (about 30 ml / 2 Tbsp) rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 2-3 ladles (120-180 ml / ½-¾ cup) water (to taste)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (optional)
- 1 chili pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 6 sprigs fresh mint
- 4 sprigs fresh cilantro (coriander)
- 6 Tbsp fried onions (optional)
- 6 Tbsp roasted peanuts (1 per person)
Preparing the bo bun toppings
Rehydrate the vermicelli in boiling water according to the package directions, uncovered. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and drain (you can add 2 Tbsp neutral oil if you’re worried they’ll stick). Set aside.
Pick, wash and dry the fresh herbs. Strip the leaves and finely chop the herbs (mint, cilantro). Shred the lettuce into strips.
Wash and cut the cucumbers, carrots and bean sprouts.
Dressing the bo bun
I make a sweet-and-sour sauce quite close to my spring roll sauce; it’s light and fragrant, just as it should be.
- In a bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients for the dressing. I serve it on the side and everyone adds as much as they like.
Assembling the bo buns
- In each bowl, put a little shredded lettuce and the rice vermicelli, then add a small handful of sliced cucumber, grated carrots, bean sprouts and chopped herbs. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve with the sauce on the side so everyone can adjust it to their taste.
For a little extra, serve them with 2 nems (Vietnamese fried spring rolls) per person.