Mien Bap Cai Nam Meo Trung (Vietnamese Bean Thread Vermicelli Noodles with Cabbage, Tree Fungus, and Eggs)

On my last day in Baltimore, while Lan of Angry Asian Creations was at work, I toyed with the idea of exploring the city, but really, I was on vacation because I needed a rest. So that's what I did. The Maryland blue crabs and bean pie will just have to wait for my next visit. After walking 7 miles all over Washington, D.C. two days before, and Mount Vernon the day after, being a couch potato and watching the Cooking Channel and the British version of Law and Order seemed just right.

Shortly before Lan came home from work, I figured I should get off the sofa and make something for dinner. I promised her Hainanese chicken rice (although it still never tastes like how my mom does it). I raided her pantry, and remembering the bean thread noodles with tree fungus and dried shrimp that my mom used to make when I was little, decided to make Mien Bap Cai Nam Meo Trung (Vietnamese Bean Thread Vermicelli Noodles with Cabbage, Tree Fungus, and Eggs). The bean thread noodles were cooked in the leftover chicken broth from making the chicken rice. It's not really a soup, but more of a lightly brothed noodle dish. It certainly can be a soup if you wish though. My youngest aunt often uses the leftover chicken broth from making Hainanese chicken rice and adds bean thread noodles and shredded chicken, but I was afraid there wouldn't be enough chicken to go around so I made this instead.

Mien Bap Cai Nam Meo Trung (Vietnamese Bean Thread Vermicelli Noodles with Cabbage, Tree Fungus, and Eggs)

For 4 servings as a side dish, you'll need:
3 to 4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
2 eggs made into a thin omelet and sliced into strips
1 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bundle bean thread vermicelli noodles
1/4 cup Nam Meo (Vietnamese Tree Ear Fungus)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce) or more according to taste

My Hainanese chicken rice. You'll need about 3 or 4 cups of chicken broth, homemade is best.


Scramble 2 eggs and make a thin omelet. Then when cooled, cut it into strips and set aside.


Thinly slice about a cup of cabbage. Soak the bean thread vermicelli noodles and tree ear fungus into water to soften.

Then in a pot, add the chicken broth. Drain the vermicelli noodles and the tree ear fungus. When the broth boils, add the cabbage, bean thread noodles, and tree ear fungus and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add salt and fish sauce and season to taste. The noodles will become soggy if left to long, so don't make this until about half an hour before you plan to eat. Mix in the omelet slices just before serving.


I made Chinese Scallion Dipping Sauce to go with the chicken.


And some Nuoc Mam Gung (Vietnamese Ginger Fish Sauce) too.


Vietnamese bean thread vermicelli noodles with cabbage, tree ear mushrooms, and eggs.


Enjoy!

Oh, but wait! I had to have another slice for dessert of the pumpkin chocolate tart that Lan made for me.



*****
1 year ago today, Banh Pho (Vietnamese Flat Thin Rice Noodles).
2 years ago today, Ca Ri Ni An Do (Vietnamese Madras Indian Curry Powder).
2 years ago today, Fried Rice with Kimchee and Spam.