Glass Noodles with Bamboo Shoot Soup (Miến Măng)

Glass Noodles with Bamboo Shoot Soup, or Miến Măng, is a comforting and flavourful dish that often appears on the dining tables of Vietnamese families during Tết (Lunar New Year), especially in Northern Vietnam. The dish brings together the rich umami flavour of dried bamboo shoots, the light yet savoury chicken broth and the satisfying chewiness of glass noodles.

Traditionally, dried bamboo shoots require hours of soaking and multiple rounds of boiling to soften and remove their natural bitterness. However, with the availability of pre-prepared dried bamboo shoots, making this dish has become quicker and more convenient.

This recipe is a fantastic way to make use of leftover chicken broth from boiling a whole chicken for the Tết feast. You can also add shredded boiled chicken for an even heartier meal. Let me show you how to make this delicious dish in just 20 minutes.

Why you’ll love this dish

• Quick and Easy – With pre-prepped bamboo shoots, this dish comes together in just 20 minutes.
• Perfect for Using Leftovers – Great for repurposing leftover chicken and broth from your Tết meal.
• Deep, Umami Flavour – The dried bamboo shoots add a rich, savoury depth to the broth.

Ingredients

1. Chicken broth

Fresh homemade chicken broth is best, especially if you’ve boiled a whole chicken for another dish. If you’re short on time, you can use shop-bought chicken broth.

2. Dried bamboo shoots

Why dried and not fresh? Dried bamboo shoots have a more concentrated umami flavour compared to the fresh ones. The drying and dehydration process intensifies their taste, giving the broth a rich, savoury depth that fresh bamboo shoots cannot replicate.

However, if you can’t find dried bamboo shoots, you can use fresh bamboo, just slice them into 4-5 long strips.

3. Glass noodles

Unlike rice noodles, glass noodles are made from starchy root vegetables like dong (arrowroot), sweet potato, mung bean or cassava. I personally prefer dong glass noodles because of their chewier texture.

Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 5 minutes until they soften. Drain the noodles and set aside.

4. Cooked chicken

Use meat from chicken legs, breast or both. Slice the chicken into thin strips.

5. Aromatics and Garnishes

• Spring onions & coriander – for a fresh finishing touch.
• Shallots – sliced thinly for frying.
• Seasoning – fish sauce or salt.

How to cook Miến Măng

Prepare the bamboo shoots

If using dried bamboo shoots, they should be pre-soaked and boiled in advance. I use the ready-to-cook dried bamboo shoots which save time.

If you are using fresh bamboo shoots, simply slice them into thin strips and give them a quick blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to remove any bitterness.

Stir-fry the bamboo shoots

Stir-frying the bamboo shoots with aromatics before adding them to the broth enhances their rich, umami flavour.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden. Add the sliced bamboo shoots and a splash of fish sauce or a pinch of salt, then stir-fry for about 5 minutes to infuse the shoots with flavour. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare the chicken broth

If you are using homemade chicken broth, bring it to a gentle boil in a large pot. If using shop-bought chicken broth, pour it into a pot and let it heat up gradually over medium heat.

Once the broth is boiling, add the stir-fried bamboo shoots and let them simmer for 5-7 minutes so that their flavour infuses into the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning by adding more fish sauce or salt if needed.

Cook the glass noodles in the broth

Once the bamboo shoots have simmered in the broth, add the softened glass noodles to the pot. Let them cook for just 1 minute, glass noodles cook extremely quickly so be careful not to overcook them. Immediately turn off the heat and remove the noodles from the hot broth to stop the cooking process.

Assemble the dish

Now it’s time to put Miến Măng together and serve.

• Divide the glass noodles into individual serving bowls.
• Arrange sliced cooked chicken on top of the noodles. You can use chicken breast, thigh meat or a mix of both.
• Add the cooked bamboo shoots on top of the chicken.
• Sprinkle with sliced spring onions and coriander for a fresh fragrant touch.
• Carefully ladle the hot broth into each bowl.

Serve and enjoy

Serve the soup piping hot while the broth is still steaming. The combination of tender chicken, chewy glass noodles, earthy bamboo shoots and savoury both creates a deliciously comforting meal.

This simple yet flavour-packed Glass Noodles with Bamboo shoot Soup (Miến Măng) brings the traditional flavours of Northern Vietnamese cuisine straight to your kitchen. Whether you’re using leftover chicken broth from festive meal or preparing it from scratch, this dish is easy, quick and incredibly satisfying.

If you’d like to learn more about the traditions of Tết and the special dishes we enjoy, I’ve put together a round-up article here.