With the Vietnamese Tet Holidays just around the corner, the celebration would not be complete without people preparing Can Ga Nau Mang (Vietnamese chicken soup with bamboo shoots). One of the most popular Tet foods, this renowned dish is a common home-style soup that is often made during special events such as Tet and weddings. Here is how you can make this famous dish at home (for 4-6 people). 

Ingredients for Chicken (Ga)

1 whole chicken (chop into large bite-size pieces)

1 tablespoon of chicken or mushroom bouillon powder

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

½ teaspoon of pepper

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 small shallots (peel and finely chop)

Ingredients for Bamboo Shoots (Mang)

2 cups of bamboo shoots cut into strips (boil and rinse at least three times)

1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon of chicken or mushroom bouillon powder

Ingredients for Soup

5 cups of water

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons of fried shallots

1-2 green onions (thinly sliced) or a handful of minced cilantro leaves

Recipe:

1. Combine the chicken with chicken soup powder, fish sauce, pepper, and marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Combine the bamboo shoots with sugar and chicken stock powder. Then, marinate for 30 minutes.

3. Add vegetable oil to the bottom of a small stock pot. Heat on medium high, then add shallots and lightly fry them until fragrant (about 15 seconds). Then, add the marinated chicken and lightly toss it with shallots. Next, add the marinated bamboo shoots and lightly toss with the shallots. 

4. Add water to the stock pot. Turn up the heat to bring the pot to a boil then reduce heat to low. Then, slowly simmer for 1 hour (with the lid on). 

5. After 1 hour, season it with fish sauce and sugar.

6. For a finished look, top them with fried shallots and green onions/cilantro. Then, serve the dish with steamed white rice.

Enjoy your meal!