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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour
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Difficulty
Easy
The Vu Lan Day, also known as the day of gratitude in Buddhism, is a day when people eat vegetarian food and go to the temple to dedicate their merits to their ancestors and parents. On this occasion, TasteVN would like to introduce you to this delicious vegetarian Phnom Penh noodle dish to change the taste for the whole family. Let’s head to the kitchen and make this vegetarian dish right away!
Ingredients for Vegetarian Phnom Penh Noodles Serves 4 people
Noodle strands 500 gr Fresh shiitake mushrooms 10 pieces (oyster mushrooms) Green onion 1 stalk Carrot 1 piece (200gr) Cassava 1 piece (100gr) Pickled radish 1 piece (80gr) White radish 2 pieces (500gr) Sugarcane 2 stalks (small) Dried vegetarian ribs 2 pieces (20gr) White tofu 2 pieces (150gr) Wonton skins 500 gr Sliced chili 1 piece Fried garlic 1/2 teaspoon Accompanying vegetables 200 gr (mustard greens/bean sprouts/lettuce/chives/celery) Cooking oil 800 ml Salt/sugar A little Vegetarian seasoning 2.5 tablespoons
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
In this dish, you can use either dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms depending on personal preference.
For fresh shiitake mushrooms:
- You should choose mushrooms that are not broken, with a cap that has a light brown color.
- They should be of moderate size, with short stems, and have a characteristic, natural aroma of mushrooms when smelled.
- Avoid buying mushrooms that have strange odors, are bruised, or have many tears and scratches on the mushroom body.
For dried shiitake mushrooms:
- You should choose mushrooms with intact caps, not broken, and with a light brown color.
- Avoid buying mushrooms that show signs of mold, have strange and musty smells when smelled.
- Currently, you can easily buy dried shiitake mushrooms at markets or supermarkets and TasteVN nationwide, with prices for a 80g package ranging from 42,000 – 45,000 VND (price updated in July 2021).
- When purchasing, you should choose packages of mushrooms that are well-sealed, not torn, and have clear origins.
How to choose fresh carrots
- Fresh carrots will have a deep orange, bright color, with bright green leaves tightly attached to the body.
- You should choose carrots that feel firm when pressed with your hand. The shape of the carrot should be straight and taper towards the end.
- Avoid choosing carrots with wilted, bruised tops, parts of the body that are bruised, slimy, or have dark spots.
How to choose fresh and delicious cassava
- To select good cassava roots, you should choose those with a light brown skin and a weight that corresponds to the size of the root.
- In addition, cassava roots with smaller stems tend to have more flesh, less fiber, and will taste sweeter and better.
- Do not choose large roots that are light in weight because these roots often have been in the ground for a long time, and the moisture inside has evaporated significantly, making them not sweet and tasty.
- Moreover, you should not choose cassava roots that are bruised, have a dull color, dark yellow, or have black spots on the outside. Because these roots may have pests or be spoiled on the inside, even though the outer skin looks relatively normal.
Where to buy wonton wrappers
- Currently, you can find wonton wrappers at fresh noodle production facilities or in stalls selling noodles at local markets, with an average price of 1 pack of 500g ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 VND (price updated in July 2021).
- When purchasing, you should buy wonton wrappers that are uniform in size, thick, and have a chewy texture. In addition, freshly made wonton wrappers will have a smooth surface with a thin layer of flour coating. When smelled, they will have a light aroma of chicken eggs.
How to prepare Vegetarian Nam Vang Noodles
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Prepare the ingredients
Fresh shiitake mushrooms should be cleaned by using a knife to remove the dirty parts at the base, then soak them in diluted salt water for about 2 minutes before rinsing thoroughly with water.
Next, separate the mushroom stems and caps, then divide the mushrooms into 2 equal parts. One part will be sliced and minced, while the other part will be shaped into stars on the caps and used to cook the broth along with the stems.
How to soak dried shiitake mushrooms quickly
- Method 1: Soak the mushrooms in water for about 1 – 2 hours, then rinse with clean water and drain before cooking.
- Method 2: To make the mushrooms expand faster, you can soak them in warm water at 60 – 80 degrees Celsius for 7 – 10 minutes.
See details: How to soak shiitake mushrooms properly
White radish, carrots, and cassava should be peeled and sliced thinly after cutting off the ends. Leeks should be washed, with 1/3 of the root chopped finely and the remaining 2/3 cut in half.
For sugarcane, you can simply ask the seller to peel and cut it into pieces about 2 finger lengths. When you get home, just rinse it with water and cut it into 4 smaller pieces.
Pickled radish should be soaked in water for about 2 minutes and then rinsed to reduce the characteristic saltiness before cutting it into small slices similar in size to the white radish.
For the accompanying vegetables, remove the roots, discard any wilted or infested leaves (if any), then wash thoroughly and let drain.
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Cook the broth
Next, you add all the prepared ingredients including: white radish, pickled radish, carrot, cassava, green onion, sugarcane, and star-shaped shiitake mushrooms along with 2 liters of water into the pot.
Then, cover the pot and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes until the water in the pot boils, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and continue to simmer for about 30 – 45 minutes for the ingredients to release their sweetness and make our broth light and appealing.
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Sauté mushrooms
Heat a pan on the stove, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and chopped green onion roots into the pan, stir evenly for about 1 minute over high heat until the green onion roots turn golden and fragrant, then add the finely chopped shiitake mushrooms.
Sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes until the mushrooms are just cooked, then add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, increase to high heat and stir continuously for another 2 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked, evenly absorb the seasoning, and reduce the moisture.
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Frying Tofu and Vegetarian Ribs
Before frying, soak the vegetarian ribs in water for about 15 minutes until they expand and soften, then rinse with water, squeeze out excess water, and tear them into thin pieces about 1 – 1.5 finger widths.
Then place all the vegetarian ribs in a bowl along with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning and use your hands to mix well so that the seasoning dissolves and evenly penetrates the vegetarian ribs.
Wash the tofu, use a towel to absorb all the moisture, and cut it into small square pieces with each side measuring about 1.5 finger widths.
Next, add the remaining cooking oil to a pan, heat until the oil is bubbling, then add the cut tofu. Fry over high heat for about 3 minutes until the tofu is evenly golden, then remove it to a plate.
Then add the marinated vegetarian ribs to the hot oil and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the vegetarian ribs gradually turn golden. Increase the heat and stir the ribs until you feel they are crispy and firm, then you can turn off the heat and remove the vegetarian ribs to a plate.
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Fry the wonton wrappers
First, use your fingers to dab a bit of water on the two diagonal corners of the wonton wrapper, then fold the two corners together and hold tightly for about 2 seconds to create a visually appealing triangle shape for the wonton.
Next, place the wontons into the pan with the oil that was previously used to fry the tofu and vegetarian ribs, and fry for about 2 minutes on high heat until the wontons are golden and crispy, then remove them and place them on a plate.
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Completion
After cooking the broth, turn off the heat, remove all the vegetables, keeping only the shiitake mushrooms, and add the fried tofu, 1/3 tablespoon of salt, 1.5 tablespoons of vegetarian seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of sugar into the pot. Stir well and cook on medium heat until the broth comes to a boil again.
Next, bring a pot of 800ml of water to a boil, and when the water is boiling, add the bean sprouts and rice noodles to blanch for about 2 minutes until the bean sprouts and noodles are just cooked, then remove them, drain the water, and place them in a bowl.
How to blanch noodles so they are chewy and not mushy
- First, you should separate the noodles into loose strands; if the noodles are too long, you can cut them to about 20 – 30cm for easy eating.
- You can soak the noodles in cold water to soften them more quickly. Do not soak for too long to avoid mushiness.
- After blanching, place the noodles in a bowl of cold water, wait for them to cool down, and then take them out. Doing this will keep the noodles crispy and not mushy.
Decorate with a few chives, finely chopped cilantro, crispy fried tofu, fried vegetarian ribs, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and fragrant fried garlic. Then, pour some hot broth that is just boiling into it. Mix well and add a few slices of chili and crispy fried wontons, and then we can enjoy!
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Final Product
The Vegetarian Nam Vang Noodles will have an appealing aroma of fragrant fried garlic once completed. When eaten, you will be captivated by the sweet and creamy broth with the enticing flavor of sautéed shiitake mushrooms.
Additionally, the noodles are blanched to be chewy and delicious, with a bite of tofu, vegetarian ribs, and crispy fried wonton skin that is incredibly flavorful. Try cooking it and enjoy right away!
See more
I hope that through the detailed guide steps above, you can successfully make the vegetarian Nam Vang noodle soup delicious, light for a complete Vu Lan holiday, appealing for the whole family!
