How to Cook Shrimp and Dried Squid Bun Rieu with Sweet, Flavorful Broth

Bun Rieu is a familiar dish for many Vietnamese families thanks to its rich flavor and ease of consumption. While traditional crab Bun Rieu offers a signature light taste, the version featuring dried shrimp and dried squid is appealing due to the deep, natural sweetness from dried seafood, a fragrant, rich broth, and soft, fatty crab meat cakes that are incredibly enticing. In this article, let’s join Ola Squid in exploring how to cook authentic dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu that is easy to make right at home.

Ingredients to prepare for a pot of dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu

To cook a delicious pot of Bun Rieu for about 4-5 people, you should prepare all the following ingredients:

• Dried shrimp, shredded dried squid
• Pork bones (washed clean)
• Pork paste (gio song), minced meat, chicken eggs, tofu, tomatoes
• Fresh rice vermicelli (bun)
• Dried shallots, garlic (minced)
• Scallions and chili (washed and chopped)
• Seasoning: fish sauce, soup powder, seasoning powder, cashew oil, pepper
• Vegetables for serving: water spinach strips, bean sprouts, basil, sawtooth herb,… (washed and drained)

How to choose the best dried shrimp and dried squid for Bun Rieu

Quality dried ingredients will largely determine the deliciousness and natural sweetness of the Bun Rieu pot. When choosing dried shrimp and dried squid, you should pay attention to a few characteristics to make the dish more fragrant and flavorful.

• Quality dried shrimp usually has a pale orange or natural reddish-orange color, with a dry and firm body. Do not choose types that are too red or too shiny as they may have been dyed.
• Good shrimp will have a characteristic mild aroma of dried seafood, without a fishy oil smell or chemical odor. When held, the shrimp should not feel damp or sticky.
• Dried tube squid and dried squid leaves are the most suitable choices because they have thin meat, soften quickly when cooked, and provide a naturally sweet broth. When stewed with bones, the squid will make the broth significantly richer and more fragrant.
• Cuttlefish is usually thicker and tougher; when stewed for a long time, it easily becomes hard, reducing the clarity of the broth, so you should not use dried cuttlefish to cook Bun Rieu.
• Good squid usually has a natural light yellow color, an evenly dried body, and a thin white powder coating on the outside. Avoid choosing squid that is too dark, has a pungent smell, or shows signs of mold.

How to process dried shrimp and dried squid before cooking

After selecting good ingredients, the next step is to process them correctly to remove the fishy smell while retaining the natural sweetness of the dried seafood.

Tips for proper processing of dried shrimp

Dried shrimp should be soaked in warm water for about 15–20 minutes to soften evenly. After soaking, rinse it a few times with clean water to remove dust and reduce the natural saltiness.

You can divide the shrimp into two parts:

• One part is finely ground to make crab cakes.
• The remaining part is used to stew the broth to increase the natural sweetness.

How to process dried squid so it is not fishy and sufficiently soft

Dried squid should be soaked in warm water at about 40°C for 10-20 minutes until moderately soft. Do not soak for too long as the squid can easily lose its natural sweetness. After soaking, you need to shred or cut it into bite-sized pieces.

How to cook sweet, clear, and rich dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu

To ensure the Bun Rieu pot has a naturally sweet taste, smells like dried seafood, and is harmoniously rich, you should follow these steps:

• Step 1 – Cooking dried shrimp broth: After soaking, boil the dried shrimp briefly in a pot to reduce the fishy smell and release the natural sweetness. Then remove the shrimp and keep the boiling water to add to the broth pot.
• Step 2 – Stewing bones: Wash the pork bones, blanch them in boiling water, then put them in a pot and stew for about 45-60 minutes. During cooking, frequently skim the foam so the broth remains clear and not cloudy. Once the stock is sweet, add the dried shrimp boiling water to the pot to increase the natural richness.
• Step 3 – Making the shrimp crab cake mixture: Mix the ground dried shrimp with minced meat, pork paste, scallions, seasoning powder, pepper, and egg. Mix well until the mixture has a slight consistency, neither too dry nor too runny, so the crab cakes bind easily and float beautifully when cooked. For better texture, mix in one direction to make the mixture tougher and more airy after being cooked.
• Step 4 – Sautéing tomatoes: Sauté minced shallots and garlic with a little oil, then add the wedges of tomatoes and stir until soft to create a natural tangy flavor for the Bun Rieu pot. When the tomatoes are soft, add everything into the broth pot and continue to add the shredded dried squid to cook together.
• Step 5: Dropping the crab cakes and finishing: Use a spoon to drop small portions of the crab cake mixture gently into the simmering broth. Do not stir vigorously so the cakes do not break. When the cakes float to the surface, they are cooked. Next, add the fried tofu into the pot and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce, salt, seasoning powder, or MSG to taste.
• Step 6: Presentation and serving: Briefly blanch the fresh vermicelli in hot water and place it in a bowl. Then, arrange the crab cakes, tofu, and shredded dried squid on top, add chopped scallions, and ladle the hot broth over. Serve with raw vegetables, water spinach, basil, a squeeze of lime, and a few chili slices to make the dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu more complete, delicious, and appealing.

See more: How to cook authentic Phu Yen squid vermicelli with clear broth and crispy squid

The role of dried squid in a Bun Rieu pot

Dried squid is the ingredient that gives the Bun Rieu pot flavor depth and creates a distinction compared to the traditional recipe. Just by adding a sufficient amount, the broth will become more fragrant and naturally rich in sweetness without needing too many seasonings.

• Creates natural sweetness for the broth: When stewed with bones and dried shrimp, dried squid releases the characteristic natural sweetness of seafood, giving the broth a significantly richer aftertaste and better aroma.
• Combining with dried shrimp for a more balanced flavor: While dried shrimp brings a light, sweet taste, dried squid provides a deeper sweetness and characteristic aroma. The combination of these two ingredients helps the Bun Rieu pot stay balanced, not too sharp, yet very enticing.
• Makes the Bun Rieu more fragrant and unique: Compared to standard recipes that only use stewed bones or crab, adding dried squid will make the broth much more appetizing, especially when eaten hot, where you can clearly feel the characteristic aroma of dried seafood.
• Ensures the broth is not too intense: With about 2 liters of broth, you should only use about 50-70g of dried squid. If you add too much, the squid flavor will overpower other ingredients and make the broth too intense.

Important notes when cooking dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu

To ensure the dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu has clear broth, delicious crab cakes, and is not fishy, you should pay attention to a few small tips during the cooking process below:

• Soak dried shrimp before cooking: Dried shrimp should be soaked in cold or slightly warm water for about 15-20 minutes to soften evenly, clean dust, and reduce saltiness before cooking.
• Prioritize quality dried squid with clear origin: Good dried squid will help the broth have a clearer sweet taste and more natural aroma. You should choose squid with a natural light yellow color, evenly dried body, and no chemical odor.
• Keep the heat low when dropping crab cakes: When adding the crab cakes to the pot, only keep the heat low so the cakes form beautiful blocks and do not break. If the water boils too vigorously, the cakes will easily disintegrate, making the broth cloudy.
• Frequently skim the foam when stewing bones: This is an important step to help the broth stay clear and have a purer taste. If the heat is too high or you do not skim the foam carefully, the water will easily become cloudy and less appetizing.
• Fry the tofu golden before adding it to the pot: Fried tofu will retain its fat and will not break when cooked for a long time in the broth.
• Blanch the vermicelli quickly in boiling water: You should not soak the vermicelli for too long because the strands will become soggy, easily break, and lose their chewiness.

• Should be eaten while hot: Dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu is best served hot. At this time, the crab cakes will be more fragrant, the broth richer, and it will not be fishy.

Variations and toppings to enhance the Bun Rieu flavor

In addition to the basic recipe, you can completely create variations with many types of toppings to make the dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu more appealing, rich, and diverse.

• Add pig blood to increase richness: Soft, smooth pig blood with a light fatty taste will help the Bun Rieu bowl become richer and create a longer-lasting feeling of fullness when enjoying.
• Combine with deep-fried pork cartilage: Crispy pork cartilage will add an interesting texture, helping the dish not be monotonous and more attractive when eaten hot.
• Add fresh shrimp if you like a sweet, clear taste: Fresh shrimp helps the broth have a naturally sweet taste, while increasing the freshness and eye-catching appearance of the bowl.
• Add fish balls or beef balls: This is a variation suitable for family tastes, especially helping the dish be fuller and more diverse.

With the instructions on how to cook dried shrimp and dried squid Bun Rieu above, hopefully, you can completely self-prepare a delicious, authentic dish to treat the whole family. In particular, the quality of dried squid will greatly influence the sweetness and aroma of the broth. Therefore, if you are looking to buy delicious dried squid, natural, with the standard sea flavor to cook Bun Rieu or prepare many other attractive dishes, contact Ola Squid immediately for advice and to choose the appropriate product.