Make Lai Chau mac khen tofu and crispy fried Dong Thap lotus root with chef Thanh Thien

Crispy fried lotus root from Dong Thap

This book is certified by UNESCO Chair as a sustainable plant-based culinary book. 33 vegetarian dishes take us on a journey to different regions of the country.

Eat green live healthy for health

Chef Thanh Thien shared with Tuoi Tre Online that to create the book, he spent more than 3 months researching the ingredients.

Then comes the stage of collecting ingredients from local areas to develop the recipe, and filming also takes several months.

Chef Tran Le Thanh Thien (right) receives certificate for sustainable plant-based culinary book - Photo: NVCC

"Across the S-shaped strip of land, each region has its own unique characteristics in vegetarian cuisine, reflecting the diversity of soil and climate.

The North is elegant with its delicate vegetarian dishes, imbued with traditional flavors. The Central region is rich with vegetarian dishes typical of the sunny and windy region.

And the South is fresh with colorful and flavorful vegetarian dishes, showing the generosity of the people here," he concluded.

Thanh Thien introduces to Tuoi Tre Online readers two simple vegetarian dishes that are easy to make, but it took him a lot of time to think and worry when creating the recipe.

Lai Chau Mac Khen Tofu

Mac Khen is a unique spice of the Northwest cuisine. Chef Thanh Thien combines Mac Khen with tofu to create a light and nutritious dish.

He said: "This is a dish that I struggled with because the mac khen seeds have a strong flavor. I combined it with tofu so that the coolness of the tofu can soften the spicy taste of this spice."

Lai Chau Mac Ken Tofu Sauce

Recipe:

1 piece of soft tofu (about 300g); 1 chili pepper; 150g king oyster mushrooms, 1 teaspoon roasted peppercorns, 3 tablespoons soybean oil, 3 tablespoons minced ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mushroom seasoning, 1 tablespoon chili oil, 150ml filtered water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Raw material preparation:

Peel the ginger, wash it, and mince it. Wash the chili peppers and slice them thinly. Cut off the stem of the oyster mushrooms, wash them, and dice them. Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes.

Perform:

Heat oil in a pan, then add mac khen and stir-fry until fragrant. Continue adding minced ginger, soy sauce and chili pepper and stir-fry until the ingredients are combined. Add king oyster mushrooms and stir-fry until half-cooked, then season with chili oil, mushroom seasoning and sugar to let the mushrooms absorb the spices.

Dilute cornstarch with a little water, then slowly add to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens. Finally, add tofu and cook for about 2 more minutes to absorb the sauce.

Present:

Arrange the tofu on a plate, drizzle with the sauce and a little sesame oil. Garnish with a few sprigs of coriander.

Serve hot. Serve with white rice.

Crispy fried lotus root from Dong Thap

Dong Thap is famous for its vast lotus fields, giving off a gentle fragrance. "I research to create new flavors without losing the characteristics of each fragrant, elegant ingredient. The dish is suitable for all ages," said chef Thien.

Crispy fried lotus root from Dong Thap

Ingredient:

300g lotus root; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons tapioca starch; 300ml soybean oil; 1 teaspoon roasted white sesame.

Sweet and sour sauce:

1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons rock sugar; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 3 tablespoons tomato sauce; 5 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon tapioca starch; 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce; 1 tablespoon pickled plum sauce.

Raw material preparation:

Peel the lotus root, cut into 2-3mm thick slices. Soak the lotus root in filtered water mixed with rice vinegar to remove dark spots. Then remove and drain, mix well with tapioca starch.

Perform:

Heat cooking oil in a pan, deep fry each lotus root slice. When the lotus root is golden brown on both sides, remove to a plate lined with paper towels.

Stir together ingredients to make sweet and sour sauce mixture.

Pour the mixture into the pan, simmer until the sauce thickens.

Add fried lotus root to the sauce pan, stir well to absorb the spices.

Present:

- Arrange fried lotus root on a plate, sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.

Chef Thien gives a tip: "Choose 9-hole lotus root to make the dish more crispy and delicious. Soaking the lotus root in vinegar helps to remove dark spots and make it crispier when fried."

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HOANG LE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lam-mon-dau-hu-xot-mac-khen-lai-chau-cu-sen-dong-thap-chien-gion-cung-dau-bep-thanh-thien-20250510112439757.htm