Vietnamese tempeh noodle salad

Step 1

Prepare your tempeh by placing it in a small pot of boiling water and simmering it for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, take it out of the water and allow it to cool.

Step 2

Prepare tempeh marinade by mixing tamari, sambal oelek, rice vinegar, maple syrup and grated ginger together in a large, shallow container.

Step 3

Slice cool tempeh into 0.5 cm / 0.25" rounds and place them in the marinade. Spoon the marinade over the tempeh so that it's flavoured evenly. Leave it in the marinade for at a least 30 minutes.

Step 4

Heat up 2 tbsp of peanut oil in a medium, non-stick pan (or wok). Remove the tempeh from the marinade. Just before you are ready to place it on the hot oil, sprinkle a thin layer of cornstarch over the top of it.

Step 5

Place tempeh (you will need to fry it in batches) on the hot oil and fry until golden brown on one side, then flip and continue frying until golden brown on the other side. Slice into smaller pieces for serving if you wish.

Step 6

Cook your noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Refresh under a cold tap and set aside.

Step 7

Cut your carrots, cucumber and radishes into thin match sticks or rounds if you prefer. You may want to leave the watery core of the cucumber aside.

Step 8

Mix sauce ingredients together with about 3 tbsp of water. Adjust the amount of chilli to taste.

Step 9

Divide cold noodles, fresh veggies, shredded lettuce, sliced spring onions and herbs between two bowls. Top with fried tempeh, crispy fried shallots and peanuts.

Step 10

Peel shallots and slice them into thin slices.

Step 11

Heat up a small pot of oil. You will need at least 1 cup of oil as these need to be deep-fried.

Step 12

Blot the slices very well on a piece of absorbent kitchen towel.

Step 13

Just before the oil comes to temperature, toss the first portion of shallots in a little cornstarch (you could also use regular wheat flour). Shake off excess flour and pop shallots into the hot oil.

Step 14

Fry until golden brown. Fish fried shallots out and place them on a piece of kitchen towel. Sprinkle with sea salt. Continue with another batch.