‘Bun quay’ is in fact a “variation” of the shrimp noodle soup from Binh Dinh Province or Kon Tum-style noodle soup. Yet, by adding new ingredients and preparing it in their own way, Phu Quoc residents have created a specialty for the island.
The name of the dish comes from the way it is made. A local cook pours boiling broth into a bowl containing shrimp or fish paste and noodles, and then stirs them all, well and hard. Next, the bowl of the noodle soup is topped with minced scallions and pepper. Fresh ingredients give a special tasty flavour to the dish.
Diners can see local cooks prepare the dish right on the spot. After soaking in water, rice is ground into pulp. The substance is then turned into noodles using a press before being added to boiling water.
One interesting thing is diners can make their own dipping sauce, which includes salt, sugar, pepper, chili, monosodium glutamate, and kumquat juice. The dipping sauce must be stirred well, too, which also gave rise to the name of the dish.
The rustic dish has impressed most food lovers. The soft, chewy noodles are in perfect concordance with the shrimp, fish paste and broth. In Phu Quoc, ‘bun quay’ is often served as a breakfast dish.
