Vietnamese Sticky Tofu Bun Cha
Image: SAM A HARRIS
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Vietnamese Sticky Tofu Bun Cha

A great option for lunch, this recipe is full of variety without being too heavy. It’s also brilliant cold, so if you want to box it up, use a few handfuls of finely shredded cabbage instead of little gem and it will stay crunchier for longer.
Image: SAM A HARRIS

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Serves
4
Total Time
40 Minutes
Ingredients
150g of dried rice vermicelli or glass noodles
1 tbsp of sesame oil
2 carrots, peeled & julienned
2 little gem or 1 romaine lettuce, finely shredded
4 spring onions, finely sliced
A small bunch of coriander or Thai basil, roughly chopped
2 handfuls of mint leaves, roughly chopped
Dressing
2 tsp of soft light brown sugar
1 garlic clove, grated
1 red chilli, deseeded & chopped
3 tbsp of light soy sauce
3 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp of sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
Tofu
600g of firm tofu, drained
2 tbsp of sunflower oil
6 tbsp of hoisin sauce
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
40g of roasted salted peanuts, chopped, to serve
Method
Step 1

First wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel or sheets of kitchen paper. Place between two chopping boards and put a saucepan or a few unopened cans on top to help press out the water. Leave like this while you prepare everything else.

Step 2

Cook the noodles following the packet instructions. Be careful not to overcook them: a little al dente is preferable. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool, then toss in the sesame oil and put to one side.

Step 3

Combine the carrots, lettuce, spring onions and herbs in a bowl. Stir all the dressing ingredients together until the sugar dissolves, then spoon over the salad and toss well. Keep in the fridge while you cook the tofu.

Step 4

Unwrap the tofu and cut it into 3cm chunks. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the tofu and fry for about 5–6 minutes, turning as each side turns golden. The more sides you brown, the crispier it will be, but it’s fine to only do a couple of sides if you want to hurry through.

Step 5

Mix the hoisin and soy sauces, then add to the pan and turn the tofu in the sauce until everything is coated and sticky. Take off the heat after a minute or so. Divide the noodles between plates, top with the salad, followed by the sticky fried tofu, then spoon over the dressing and serve scattered with the peanuts.

Tip: A julienne peeler is a great investment for your utensil collection. They cost the same as a normal peeler and will upgrade your coleslaws to first class

Extracted from: Let’s Do Lunch: Quick and easy recipes to brighten up your week by Georgia Levy (Pavilion, HarperCollins Publishers). Image by Sam A Harris.

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