Lemongrass Noodle Soup (Bún Bò Huê Chay)

🥘 Ingredients

• dried shiitake or wild mushrooms 40 g
• Homemade Vegetable Stock 3 litres
• onion 1
• lime leaves 2
• sea salt 2 tsp
• palm or rock sugar 20 g
• nutritional yeast 2 tbsp
• Homemade Vegan Fish Sauce 3 tbsp
• lemongrass stalks 3
• vegetable oil 100 ml
• annatto seeds 10 g
• Lemongrass and Chilli Oil 3 tbsp
• vegetable oil 3-4 tbsp
• medium-firm tofu 300 g
• enoki or various mushrooms 100 g
• vegetarian oyster sauce 1 tbsp
• leafy greens
• thick rice vermicelli
• tofu puffs 200 g
• Lemongrass Tofu
• Vegan Vietnamese Sausage
• Thai basil
• bean sprouts
• coriander
• spring onions
• Vietnamese coriander
• lime 1
• bird's eye chilli 1

Broth

1. 1

   Rehydrate the dried shiitake or wild mushrooms in a bowl with 150 ml (5 fl oz/scant 1/3 cup) of just-boiled water — do not discard the water.
2. 2

   Add the Homemade Vegetable Stock , onion , lime leaves , sea salt and palm or rock sugar to a stockpot . Bring to a simmering boil then cook for 30 minutes with the lid on. Season with nutritional yeast and Homemade Vegan Fish Sauce . Bash the lemongrass stalks with the back of a knife or rolling pin and place it over a gas flame to char or in a dry frying pan until its sides are blackened. Add the lemongrass to the stockpot plus the mushrooms and their soaking water and simmer for another 30 minutes .

Lemongrass and Chilli Paste

1. 1

   While the broth is simmering, make the lemongrass and chilli paste. Add the vegetable oil to a frying pan over a medium heat with the annatto seeds . The red colour of the seeds should release into the oil. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Using a small strainer or sieve, strain the red oil into a small bowl and discard the seeds. Mix together with the Lemongrass and Chilli Oil . Divide the paste into two. Add one half to the broth and use the other half to marinate the tofu puffs for 30 minutes .

Tofu and Toppings

1. 1

   In the same pan over a medium heat, add a tablespoon of the vegetable oil and fry the medium-firm tofu for 3 minutes , then add the enoki or various mushrooms and vegetarian oyster sauce . Fry until they have softened and work through a handful of the leafy greens for 1-2 minutes . Set aside.
2. 2

   Cook the thick rice vermicelli in a pot of boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. Drain in a colander and run under warm water until the starch runs clear. Place a lid over the noodles to dry them out for at least 10 minutes .
3. 3

   When the broth has finished cooking, use a spider to remove the vegetables. Slice the (dried) mushrooms and any other vegetables you desire as toppings into bite-size pieces.
4. 4

   Assemble soup bowls with the noodles and any vegetables, mushrooms, green leaves, tofu puffs , any additional toppings you would like — Lemongrass Tofu and Vegan Vietnamese Sausage — and garnishes as desired: Thai basil , bean sprouts , coriander , spring onions , Vietnamese coriander (all optional garnish).
5. 5

   Bring the broth to a boil and ladle it into assembled bowls. Serve with a squeeze of lime and bird's eye chilli , if desired.