nguyen fam vegan bun cha
notes
vietnamese sausage patty dish eaten with nuoc mam (fish sauce).
i am making a version that my family makes which is the southern vietnamese version, so it wont be like the bun cha you see at restaurants. i used to eat this as a kid with just rice and sriracha.
can easily sub tofu for pork for the more authentic flavor.
ingredients
Firm Tofu :1 block
Chopped Shallot (can sub shallot for more green onion) :1 or about 1/5 cup
Chopped Garlic :4 cloves
Chopped Green Onion :4 stalks
Maggi Sauce (can sub for soy sauce but adjust to your liking) :3-4 tbsp (to your liking)
Black Pepper :1 tsp
Grated/Powdered Lemongrass :2 tbsp
Flour :1/4 cup
Optional: Grated Ginger :1 tbsp
Optional: Semolina Flour :1/4 cup
section notes
Vegan Nuoc Mam (Fish Sauce): 2 limes, 3 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tbsp white sugar, 2 chopped thai chillies, water to liking. tiny splash of soy sauce or tamari for color. mostly just adjust to your taste and preference.
This is like a burger patty u can freeze it for meal prep.
instructions
1 . Drain tofu, crush, and dry.
For best results, freeze tofu the day before then thaw, crush, and dry. This will give it a meat texture that holds everything together better.
2 . Combine tofu, chopped shallot, chopped garlic, chopped green onion, maggi, black pepper, lemongrass, ginger (optional), and flour
3 . Mix and adjust seasonings to your liking. Should be able to grab the mixture and create a patty in your hand without it falling apart.
4 . Make 12-15 patties out of this and coat in flour.
5 . Heat oil and lay patty in and press down.
6 . Cook 10 mins one side, flip, and 10 mins other side. You are looking for a crispy, charred bottom.
7 . Enjoy with Nuoc Mam (fish sauce), and eat it with rice noodles, lettuce, herbs, and sliced cucumbers. Or you can eat it over rice with sriracha.