Vietnamese sticky tofu bun cha
SERVES 4| PREP 25 MINS | COOK 10 MINS | EASY |
600g firm tofu, drained
150g dried rice vermicelli or glass noodles
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
2 Little Gem lettuces or 1 Romaine lettuce, finely shredded
4 spring onions, finely sliced small bunch of coriander or thai basil, roughly chopped 2 handfuls of mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 tsp soft light brown sugar
1 garlic clove, grated
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
4 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
6 tbsp hoisin sauce
40g roasted salted peanuts, chopped, to serve
1 Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel or sheets of kitchen paper. Put between two chopping boards with a pan or a few unopened tins on top to help press out the water. Leave this while you prepare everything else.
2 Cook the noodles following the pack instructions – be careful not to overcook them, a little al dente is preferable. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool, then toss with 1 tbsp of sesame oil and put to one side.
3 Combine the carrots, lettuce, spring onions and herbs in a bowl. Stir together the sugar, garlic, chilli, 3 tbsp of the soy sauce, vinegar, remaining sesame oil and lime juice until the sugar dissolves, then spoon over the salad and toss well. Keep in the fridge while you cook the tofu.
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 fry the tofu for 5-6 mins, 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 a speedier meal.
5 Mix together the hoisin and remaining soy sauce, then add to the pan and turn the tofu in the sauce until 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 tofu, then spoon over the dressing and serve scattered with peanuts.
PER SERVING 537 kcals | fat 23.2G saturates 3.6G | carbs 51.7G | sugars 17.8G fibre 8.8G | protein 25.9G | salt 3.3G