Bun Chay (Vegetarian Noodle Salad)

5 from 5 votes

Bun Chay (Vegetarian Noodle Salad)

Bun Chay is a Vegetarian Noodle Salad made for every feast! Crispy spring rolls, pan seared tofu and herbs drizzled with an authentic dressing!

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dinner, Drinks, Lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Servings:

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Jeannette

Ingredients

For The Toppings To Be Marinated

115 g / 0.25 lb soy protein (we get it from the Asian vegetarian shop)
450 g / 1 lb fried tofu (from Asian supermarkets)

For The Marinade

40 g / 0.09 lb lemongrass (blitzed until fine)
2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tbsp Maggi soy sauce (or to taste)
1 tbsp annatto seed oil (we get it from Asian supermarkets)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp condensed milk (or to taste)
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp pepper

For The Toppings (Optional)

vegetarian shredded pork
spring rolls
vegetarian cured pork
vegetarian sugarcane prawn
roasted peanuts (crushed)

For The Garnish And Noodles

cucumber
lettuce
bean sprouts
mint
perilla
Thai basil
Vietnamese coriander
pickled carrots and daikon
1 bag rice noodles (thin)

Instructions

Slice the fried tofu into slices roughly 1/2cm (0.2") thick, then marinate both the tofu and soy protein in the lemongrass, vegetarian oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, condensed milk, oil, vegetable stock powder, curry powder, pepper and annatto seed oil for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Heat up a pan with 3 tbsp oil on medium heat and sear the marinated tofu for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate while you cook the other ingredients.
Add 3 tbsp oil to the pan on high heat and stir fry the marinated soy protein for 3 minutes or until heated.
If you're using additional toppings for your Bun Chay like we are, use a new pot or saucepan and fill it with oil to fry the Spring Rolls and Chạo Tôm.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for 10 minutes on high heat or until al dente. Drain and run under cool water and set it in a colander to drip dry.
Assemble your Bun Chay bowl by putting the noodles, herbs and toppings together, then drizzle with vegetarian Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm)!
Note: Vegetarian Nước Mắm can be made by replacing the fish sauce with a vegan or vegetarian version.

Notes

Marinate for longer. This technique ensures the flavors penetrate deep into the ingredients. If you can, marinate it overnight.
Use a firmer tofu. They will hold their shape better as they pan fry and have great texture as part of this Bun Chay.
Use fresh herbs. Buy them on the day you'll be eating them because after being washed, they will start to wilt after a day.
Grill the tofu. Doing so will add a smokiness and another layer of flavor.
You can get textured soy protein dehydrated in bags from specialty Asian vegetarian shops, otherwise they can be easily substituted for more tofu or your favorite mushrooms or vegetables.
For the dehydrated soy protein, run it through cold water once, then soak it in water for 10-15 minutes. Drain using a colander to drip dry and it'll be ready to use.
The tofu we used for this recipe came pre-fried from the shops, but any firm bean curd will work.
The annatto seed oil can be found in Asian supermarkets, or you can make your own like we did in our Bánh Canh Cua.
You can also find lemongrass already blitzed in the freezer section. Just take it out to thaw before use. Otherwise, you can make it fresh.
The marinade is almost identical to our Bun Thit Nuong (Grilled Pork Noodle Salad), except that it has fewer aromatics and uses an oyster sauce substitute.
For Bun Chay, we typically use lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, perilla, Thai basil, Vietnamese coriander and mint. But if there are others that you prefer to use (or leave out), make it to your preference.
Our noodle choice is the thin rice noodle (bún). It comes dehydrated in Asian grocery stores and will last dried for months at a time.

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