Vietnamese Duck Noodle Soup (Mi Vit Tiem)

Mi Vit Tiem was one of my favorite things to eat growing up, specifically the version my mom would make. Every time we had out-of-town guests come over, this was usually her go-to meal to make (most likely because it was such a crowd pleaser).

Fast forward, many years later, I now want to learn how to make it myself. When I asked her to share her recipe, she just texted me a list of ingredients (ha!). Like most Asian moms, she doesn't believe in documenting exact measurements! She just estimates with her eyes and by taste. How she gets her food to taste so consistent every time... is beyond me!

With COVID still being a thing, I can't just easily come over to watch her make Mi Vit Tiem. Instead, she helped me make estimates over the phone. Then I improvised as I kept tasting.

For full transparency, the recipe below is definitely not exact to my mom's version. It's the closest and tastiest I was able to get in the first try. I will be fine-tuning this overtime as I make it again in the future!

Note: You may need access to an Asian supermarket for some of the specific ingredients below.

Vietnamese Duck Noodle Soup (Mi Vit Tiem)

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Servings: 5-6

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized ginger (peeled, chopped)

• 4 star anise pods

• 1 can of coconut soda (12 oz)

• 1 cup water

• 2 containers of low sodium chicken broth (32 oz each)

• 6-8 pieces of dry mushrooms

• 1-2 large pieces of white rock sugar

• 3 tbsp salt

• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tsp chicken bouillon

Other Ingredients:

• ~5 to 6 servings of thin egg noodles (fresh preferred)

• 1 Chinese-style roast duck, cut into 6-8 pieces (store-bought or you can find a recipe)

• Bok choy (cut in halves)

• Green onions (minced)

Directions:

• In a large pot, grease with cooking oil. Then place on medium high heat. Add ginger and star anise pods. Let them sit for about 3 minutes or until bottom is brown and edges are slightly charred. Flip all pieces to repeat on the other side.

• In the same pot, add remaining soup ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiled, lower heat to medium. Place lid over the pot, and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

• While the soup is simmering, boil your egg noodles by following directions on its packaging. Then set aside.

• After 30 minutes have passed, add duck into the pot of soup. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Then remove the duck from the pot and set aside.

• Use a skimmer to remove the fat and other froth that formed over your soup.

• Turn off stove. Separate the soup ingredients from the soup. Discard the ginger and star anise pods, but keep the mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms.

• Place egg noodles in serving bowls. Add mushrooms, duck, bok choy, and green onions to each bowl. Then, pour soup into each bowl. Serve warm and enjoy!