VIETNAMESE BBQ NOODLE SALAD

I often order this dish in a vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant near my house. The dish is low fat but full of flavor (from the lemon grass and five spice powder). I usually pour all the sweet and sour dressings over the noodles and mix them all together. This is a cold noodle dish and can be eaten at a room temperature which is perfect as a picnic or travelling dish. What makes the BBQ TVP slices taste savory is the dry roasted rice powder which is a common use in Vietnamese cuisine.

Servings: 6

2 1/2 cups dry vegetarian protein meat slices (TVP) or Soy Curls TM
16 oz Rice noodles (same one use in Vietnamese Pho noodle) or zaru soba
2 carrots, cut into thin strips
1 cup mint leaves, shred into individual leaves
1 cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 cup beansprouts or shredded lettuce leaves
3 Tbsp roasted rice powder (see tip)
2 tsp canola oil
3 Tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped

Seasonings for marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce or 2 1/2 Tbsp salty dark mushroom soy sauce mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water
3 tsp sugar or 1 1/2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 tsp onion or or 'chicken' or mushroom broth powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp good quality 5 spice powder
1 tsp sesame oil
1 stalk fresh lemon grass, chopped

Sweet and Sour Salad dressing:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 Tbsp vegetarian fish sauce or Bragg's Liquid Amino
3 Tbsp Agave Nectar or 3 tsp sugar, or to taste
Notes: my husband don't like the sauce too sweet like in the restaurants so I made this sauce more in the sour taste.
1 tsp chili garlic sauce, sambal oelek or Korean red pepper powder, or less for less spicy

1. If using dry TVP slices, simmer the dried veg protein in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Then, squeeze all the water out. Or, an alternative method which I like is to pressure cook the dry TVP slices in 3 or 4 cups water on high for 2 minutes. Then, use the quick release method. The TVP slices will be very soft. Let it cool and then squeeze the water out.
2. If using soy curls, reconstitute them with 2 1/4 cups of hot water for 10 minutes. Then, squeeze the water out.
3. Combine seasonings for marinade in a blender including the chopped fresh lemon grass stalk. Blend the sauce until well blended and the lemon grass is pulverized into very small bits.
4. Mix the seasoning sauce with the veg protein (reconstituted tvp or soy cutlets) to marinade for at least 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles in a hot boiling water for 1 minute (or soba for 4 minutes). Take it off heat and soak for a few more minutes. Test if the noodle is soft. When the noodles are soft, drain it over a colander and rinse it with cold tap water so it will stop the cooking process.
6. Heat your indoor bbq grill or a heavy skillet like a cast iron, high heat.
7. Saute the marinated veg protein slices. Drizzle canola oil to prevent sticking. Cook until they are brown and looked like they have been barbequed. I use an indoor BBQ grill with less oil.
8. Remove from heat. Add 3 Tbsp of roasted rice powder and mix well. Serve in a bowl on top of the drained rice noodle or soba and vegetables with Sweet and Sour dressing on the side. Sprinkle the roasted chopped peanuts on top
   
   Nutrition Facts
   Nutrition (per serving): 460.1 calories; 11% calories from fat; 5.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1499.5mg sodium; 475.2mg potassium; 84.3g carbohydrates; 2.3g fiber; 13.9g sugar; 82.0g net carbs; 25.4g protein; 9.2 points.
   
   
   Cooking Tips:
   Roasted Rice Powder: Dry fry rice on cast iron pan in medium heat until rice became opaque and light brown, about 5 minutes. Let it cool. Grind in a mini blender or a spice grinder until it becomes a powder.
   Soy Curls can be ordered from www.butlerfoods.com
   

VIETNAMESE YOUNG JACKFRUIT SALAD

This young jackfruit salad is served at a vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant near my house. I love it so much and was able to copy it at home. It is sour and spicy like Thai Somtum (young papaya salad). It is served on top of Vietnamese sesame chips that are available in Vietnamese markets but it can be substituted with Indian pappadums. Originally, it is made with fish sauce but I am able to substitute is with vegetarian fish sauce. Bragg's Liquid Amino tastes similar to vegetarian fish sauce and can be used for this dish. With drizzles of Sriracha hot sauce, roasted peanuts, squeezed lime wedges, and chopped cilantro, this dish is crunchy, delicious, and refreshing.

Servings: 6

2 cans young jackfruit in brine (each can is 8 oz drained weight, total = 1lb.), drained,rinse in water, squeeze out the water and cut into strips (vertically according to its grain)
2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup shallots or green onions, chopped
1 cup Thai/Vietnamese basil, loosely packed, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs vegan sugar
2 1/2 Tbs Vegetarian Fish Sauce or Bragg's Liquid Amino
1 to 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dulse granules

Serve with:
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Thai/Vietnamese basil, chopped, optional
Fresh lime wedges
Sriracha hot sauce
Vietnamese sesame chips or Indian Pappadum

1. Preheat wok. When the wok is hot, add oil, garlic, and onion. Stir fry until fragrant. Add young jackfruit strips, salt, sugar, black pepper, and vegetarian fish sauce or liquid amino. Mix and stir-fry in high heat for 10 minutes until spices are absorbed to the jackfruit. Add water to the wok to prevent sticking.
2. Add 1tsp dulse granules, mix well. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice and Thai/Vietnamese basil. Mix well for 1 minute.
4. Turn off heat. Set aside jackfruit in a bowl and let it cool.
5. Serve the salad room temperature on a plate with chopped roasted peanut and chopped cilantro/basil sprinkled on top.
6. Dot it with Sriracha hot sauce on top and all over the salad. Each person can use the sesame crackers/pappadum to scoop the salad, dot with fresh squeezed lime juice and more vegetarian fish sauce.
   
   
   Nutrition Facts (without sesame crackers)
   Nutrition (per serving): 157.3 calories; 26% calories from fat; 4.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 484.9mg sodium; 424.8mg potassium; 28.3g carbohydrates; 2.6g fiber; 2.8g sugar; 25.7g net carbs; 4.0g protein; 3.0 points.

VEGAN VIETNAMESE PHO NOODLE SOUP

Serve 8

Broth:2 large onions
6 cloves shallots
4 oz whole ginger (about 2 large)
16 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
8 whole star anise
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
4 medium parsnips (about 1.5 lb total)
4 cubes vegetarian bouillon (beefy or mushroom style)
4 oz TVP slices, beefy style (1 pkg)
1 oz dried tremella mushroom or 4 oz oyster mushrooms, optional
1/4 cup vegetarian fish sauce or Bragg Liquid Amino or soy sauce
12 cups water

Noodles:1 lb rice noodles for pho (1/4 inch wide)
1/2 medium onions
1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
1 bunch fresh mint leaves
1 bunch fresh Thai basil leaves

Condiments:
Chili Garlic sauce or Sriracha hot sauce
Vegetarian Hoisin sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Lime wedges from 1 lime


Charring the vegetables:

1. Peel the outer layer of the onions but not all the way, leave the last layer of the onion skin. Then, cut them in halves. Take each half and stud it with 4 whole cloves. You end up with 4 halves studded with 16 whole cloves.
2. Pound the whole ginger (unpeeled) with something heavy like a pestle or the back of a cleaver, two or three times. Leave the skins on the shallots but rub them with paper towels to clean the outer parts.
3. I use my oven broiler on high to broil the onion halves studded with cloves, smashed ginger roots, whole shallots on oily baking pan. Turn them over after 10 minutes. Keep turning until most of the surface are charred. This process takes about 30 minutes depending on how hot your oven is. They don't have to be all blackened and charred but the onions and shallots should become soft. Let them cool and set aside. At this point, they can be refridgerated in a container.

Making the broth:

1. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in 12 cups hot water in a large soup pot or a 7-quarts pressure cooker pot.
2. Take out some of the blackened skins of the onions, ginger, and shallots. Put them into the prepared broth.
3. Wrap the star anise, cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns in a cheese cloth and then tie it tight with a string. Put this spice bag in the broth pot too.
4. Peel the parsnips and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Put them into the broth pot. Boil this mixture for at least 1 hour. The faster method is to pressure cook them on high pressure for 30 minutes (this is what I did). Then use the quick release method when it is done.
5. While the broth is cooking, reconstitute the TVP slices in warm water. Soak the rice noodles in warm water. If using dry tremella, tear them apart in pieces, and soak them in warm water. If using oyster mushrooms, wash them and tear them apart in large pieces. Slice the 1/2 medium onion very thin and soak them in water (to remove their strong juices).
6. Get another large pot ready and strain the ingredients that were boiled in the broth by using a colander or cloth. I throw away all the parsnips, onions, ginger, shallots, and the spices (maybe someone has an idea for the use of them?).
7. Drain the TVPs and tremellas. Put them in the hot broth and simmer until they are soft, about 20-30 minutes. If using oyster mushrooms, put them in the last 5 minutes since they cook quickly. I use my pressure cooker to cook them in high pressure for 2 minutes, then, use the quick release method.
8. At this time, you can add the 1/4 cup vegetarian fish sauce or Bragg Liquid Amino or soy sauce. I found that I didn't have to add salt since the bouillon cubes were salty enough. You can add more soy sauce or vegetarian fish sauce too but usually I serve the noodles with it on the table.

Preparing the raw vegetables and herbs:

1. Wash the beansprouts thoroughly and then drain them in colander. Wash the mint and basil leaves thorougly and then drain in a colander. Cut the mint and bail leaves from the stalks. Serve them raw on top of a serving plate (see picture above).

Assembling the noodle bowl:

1. Boil 8 cups of water and throw in the soaked rice noodles and let it boil again, then drain quickly. Do not overcook the rice noodles which is done quickly in 2 to 3 minutes. It is not like pasta.
2. Divide the drained noodles among large bowls. Drain the thinly sliced onions and divide them and put them on top of the noodles.
3. Laddle the hot and boiling soup with the TVP slices and mushrooms on top of the noodles and serve them immediately with cilantro sprigs on top and the raw vegetables and condiments on the side. Tips: the broth needs to be boiling hot before you laddle it on the noodles.

Notes:About the base broth, it is important to use a good tasting 'beefy' or 'mushroomy' bouillon cubes. I use this brand of bouillon cubes: Porcini Bouillon cubes It was recommended byBryanna.
Dried tremella can be found in Chinese markets.

Nutrition FactsNutrition (per serving): 649.2 calories; 3% calories from fat; 2.7g total fat; 0.3mg cholesterol; 536.0mg sodium; 1800.0mg potassium; 141.8g carbohydrates; 11.1g fiber; 11.1g sugar; 130.7g net carbs; 22.0g protein; 12.4 points