Plant-Based Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Salad (Bún Chay)

Ingredients

• 250 g dried vermicelli
• 1 cup lettuce (thinly sliced)
• 1 carrot (small, shredded)
• 1 cucumber (small, thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cup fresh mint (thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cup Vietnamese perilla (thinly sliced)
• 0.5 block tofu (sliced)
• 1 garlic (large clove, minced)
• 2 tbsp lemongrass (finely minced)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar (for tofu)
• 1 tbsp water (for tofu)
• 0.125 tsp white pepper
• 2.5 tbsp sugar (for dressing)
• 0.333 cup hot water (for dressing)
• 2.5 tbsp yondu or vegan fish sauce (substitute with light soy sauce if unavailable)
• 2 tbsp lime juice (from fresh lime)
• 1 red chilli
• 1 garlic (clove, for dressing)
• 2 stalks scallions (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (for scallion oil)
• salt (pinch)
• fried shallots (for garnish)
• roasted peanuts (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook 250g dried vermicelli according to package instructions. Once cooked, rinse thoroughly with cold water, drain well, and set aside.

2. 2

   Heat a splash of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced tofu and fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.

3. 3

   In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed. Add the minced garlic and 2 tbsp of finely minced lemongrass. Fry on medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp white pepper, and 1 tbsp water to the pan. Turn the heat up to high.

5. 5

   Return the fried tofu to the pan and stir quickly to coat the pieces in the sauce. Cook for another 20-30 seconds until the sauce has glazed the tofu, then remove from heat.

6. 6

   Prepare the dressing by dissolving 2.5 tbsp sugar in 1/3 cup hot water. Whisk in 2.5 tbsp yondu (or vegan fish sauce), 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 chopped red chilli, and 1 minced clove of garlic.

7. 7

   For the scallion oil, heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a small saucepan until very hot. Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the sliced scallions and a pinch of salt.

8. 8

   To assemble, divide the cooked noodles between two bowls. Top with the sliced lettuce, shredded carrot, sliced cucumber, mint, and perilla.

9. 9

   Add the lemongrass tofu and a spoonful of scallion oil to each bowl. Garnish with fried shallots and roasted peanuts.

10. 10

    Pour the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving and mix well.

Notes

Yondu is a Korean vegetable umami sauce that provides a deep savory flavor. If you cannot find it or vegan fish sauce, light soy sauce can be used as a substitute. For extra crunch, you can also add deep-fried spring rolls on top.

Nutrition per serving

• vegan
• plant-based
• Vietnamese
• salad
• tofu
• healthy
• vermicelli
• main dish