This is the meat-free mì Quảng the writer and the writer’s mother cook for the family on Buddhist observance days. The broth is made from daikon and other vegetables, then built up with mushrooms, fried tofu and fried tofu skin. Each bowl gets roasted peanuts on top and grilled rice pancakes on the side. Ingredients For the broth 1 white radish (daikon) ½ cabbage ½ green cauliflower A carrot or a pear For the toppings 300 g straw mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms 1 tomato 2 slices of tofu (100 g) Tofu skin, sold at vegetarian markets Roasted peanuts Annatto seed oil Leek and coriander Salt, Maggi seasoning, pepper and sugar For the bowls Quảng noodles. If you can’t find them, use phở noodles instead and mix them with ½ teaspoon turmeric for the colour Salad, bean sprouts, basil leaves and spearmint leaves Grilled rice pancakes Soy sauce or white soya cheese, to serve How to make mì Quảng chay 1. Make the vegetable broth Wash the daikon, cabbage and cauliflower and cut them into small chunks. Put them in a pot with enough water to cover everything. Cook until it boils (30–45 minutes), then lift out all the vegetables. The liquid left in the pot is your broth. 2. Prepare the toppings Cut the roots off the mushrooms, rinse them and soak them for about 15 minutes in cold water with a little salt. Rinse again and leave them to drain. Rinse the tofu slices and fry until golden brown. Slice the green part of the leek thinly and crush the white part. Chop the coriander, dice the tomato and crush the roasted peanuts. Cut the tofu skin into medium pieces and fry it in hot oil until golden. Lift it onto a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the extra oil. 3. Build the soup Heat 3 teaspoons of annatto seed oil, add the sliced leek greens and fry until fragrant. Add the tomato and stir-fry it briefly. Add the mushrooms and fried tofu, stir-fry quickly, season with a little salt and stir well. Slowly pour in the broth from step 1. Don’t season it with soy sauce: the author found it makes this broth sour. Cook for another 10–15 minutes, season with ½ teaspoon Maggi, salt, pepper and sugar, and turn off the heat. Scatter the sliced leek greens and coriander over the top. 4. Prepare the greens and noodles Wash all the vegetables well and leave them to drain. Soak the Quảng noodles in hot water for 3–4 minutes, then rinse them in cold water straight away so they don’t stick together. 5. Serve Put the vegetables in the bottom of each bowl, add the noodles and ladle the broth over them. Don’t add too much: mì Quảng isn’t meant to sit in a lot of liquid. Arrange tofu, tofu skin and mushrooms on top, sprinkle with roasted peanuts and eat it hot, with the grilled rice pancakes on the side. Add soy sauce or white soya cheese at the table if you want more flavour. Share:
