Quick and Easy Rice Noodle Bowl
Noodle lovers unite! I threw together this quick recipe to satisfy my craving for bún thịt nướng while aiming to chip away at the overstock of food in my fridge. Although this is definitely not an authentic Vietnamese recipe by any stretch, it definitely got the job done in satisfying my hunger and desire for some crunch and flavour (or a vessel for getting some cilantro into my mouth).
You can modify this recipe to use any veggies or protein you have on hand. Don’t feel limited to just using veggie proteins either, as the marinade would work great with meat as well. Now on to the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Marinated Tofu
1/2 a small onion
1 clove of garlic,
1/3 cup of firm tofu
1 ½ tbsp of lime juice
2 tbsp of hoisin sauce
½ tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any cooking oil of your choice)
1 pinch of salt
2 chopped cilantro stems
½ tsp of minced lemongrass (fresh or re-constituted dry lemongrass)
½ tsp sriracha
Quick Carrot Pickle
1 medium carrot
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp fish sauce
½ tsp granulated sugar
Toppings & Noodles
1 4 inch piece of cucumber
¼ of an avocado
¼ of a lime
1 green onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/5th of a pack of rice vermicelli noodles
Starting with the quick pickled carrots, you’ll need to peel and shred your carrot, toss it into a bowl, and mix in 2 tsp of rice vinegar, ¼ tsp of fish sauce, ¼ tsp of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Set that aside to soak in while we prepare to marinate the tofu.
Thinly slice your tofu and add it to a small bowl. finely chop the garlic, onion, lemongrass and cilantro stems and add them to the tofu along with the wet ingredients and salt. Set aside.
Next, chop up the rest of your fresh ingredients into bite sized pieces and boil some water to cook your rice vermicelli according to the instructions on the package. I used the super thin kind that can be softened by submerging them in hot water and letting them sit until they become soft. Once your noodles are cooked, rinse them in cold water to prevent them from going mushy and place them into a bowl.
In a small pan on medium heat, toss in your marinated tofu and stir fry it until both sides are nicely browned. Arrange your tofu, carrot pickles, and chopped vegetables on top of your noodles and drizzle with more sriracha and hoisin sauce to your taste.
Enjoy! I hope this recipe keeps you feeling nourished and energized, as it did for me. If you aren’t a lover of cilantro like I am, Thai basil or fresh mint are also great in this recipe. Everyone’s tastes are different, so replacing ingredients to fit your palette is all up to you!
INGREDIENTS
Marinated Tofu
1/2 a small onion
1 clove of garlic,
1/3 cup of firm tofu
1 ½ tbsp of lime juice
2 tbsp of hoisin sauce
½ tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any cooking oil of your choice)
1 pinch of salt
2 chopped cilantro stems
½ tsp of minced lemongrass (fresh or re-constituted dry lemongrass)
½ tsp sriracha
Quick Carrot Pickle
1 medium carrot
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp fish sauce
½ tsp granulated sugar
Toppings & Noodles
1 4 inch piece of cucumber
¼ of an avocado
¼ of a lime
1 green onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/5th of a pack of rice vermicelli noodles
Method
Starting with the quick pickled carrots, you’ll need to peel and shred your carrot, toss it into a bowl, and mix in 2 tsp of rice vinegar, ¼ tsp of fish sauce, ¼ tsp of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Set that aside to soak in while we prepare to marinate the tofu.
Thinly slice your tofu and add it to a small bowl. finely chop the garlic, onion, lemongrass and cilantro stems and add them to the tofu along with the wet ingredients and salt. Set aside.
Next, chop up the rest of your fresh ingredients into bite sized pieces and boil some water to cook your rice vermicelli according to the instructions on the package. I used the super thin kind that can be softened by submerging them in hot water and letting them sit until they become soft. Once your noodles are cooked, rinse them in cold water to prevent them from going mushy and place them into a bowl.
In a small pan on medium heat, toss in your marinated tofu and stir fry it until both sides are nicely browned. Arrange your tofu, carrot pickles, and chopped vegetables on top of your noodles and drizzle with more sriracha and hoisin sauce to your taste.