Step 1

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.

Step 2

Add the wet ingredients. Next, pour in the water and oil and whisk until smooth. The batter will be very liquid, this is normal.

Step 3

Let it rest. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. This will allow the flour to absorb some of the water.

Step 4

Thicken the batter. Transfer the batter to a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, keep stirring until the batter transforms into a paste. At first, the batter will clump, keep heating and stirring until it comes together into a very thick paste. Once the consistency is thick, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Step 5

Press the dough into a pan. Lightly oil a 4.5-inch-wide pan (We used a round glass pan). Note: The shape of your pan doesn’t matter much as long as the paste is about 1.5 inches thick. Ensure you pick a pan that is heat-safe and can fit in your steamer.

Step 6

Steam it. Place a bamboo steamer basket on top of a large pot filled with about 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, place the pan into the steamer and close with the lid. Steam for 20 minutes over medium heat.

Step 7

Let cool. Remove the pan from the steamer and let it cool for at least 25 minutes. Next, carefully remove the rice cake from the pan, wrap it in plastic wrap, and transfer it to the refrigerator.

Step 8

Chill overnight. The rice cake should be chilled in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 9

Wrap a knife with plastic wrap. It’s now time to slice the rice cakes into small rectangles. To do that, wrap the blade of a knife with plastic wrap, this will prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the blade.

Step 10

Cut the rice cakes. Next, cut the rice cake into 1×1.5-inch rectangles with a thickness of about 1/2-inch thickness.

Step 11

Toss with soy sauce. Transfer the sliced rice cakes to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the dark soy sauce and toss to coat them evenly. This step essentially gives the rice cakes a more appetizing color; it doesn’t really affect the flavor. Set aside while you prepare the vegan “egg.”

Step 12

Make the vegan "egg." To the bowl of a blender, add the plant-based milk, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, turmeric, and kala namak salt. Blend on high speed for 15-30 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.

Step 13

Pan-fry until golden brown. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the rice cakes and cook for 5-8 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Step 14

Flip. Next, flip the rice cakes and cook on the other side for another 5-8 minutes.

Step 15

Pour in the vegan egg. Using a spoon or a small jug, pour the vegan egg in between the rice cakes to create a round “omelet.”

Step 16

Cook until set. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the vegan egg mixture appears set and slightly browned on the bottom. Use a spatula to carefully transfer the rice cakes and vegan egg to a large plate.

Step 17

Assemble. Finally, to assemble bột chiên: garnish with sautéed green onions, generously drizzle with the sauce, and top with grated green papaya, Vietnamese pickles, and Thai basil!

Step 18

To store: Bột chiên tastes best when served immediately. The rice cakes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Hence, we do not recommend preparing it ahead of time or storing leftovers. You can, however, keep the steamed rice cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and fry them just before serving.