Vietnamese Vegetarian Egg Meatloaf (Cha Trung Chay)
This Vietnamese vegetarian egg meatloaf is an easy plant-based side dish or main dish both vegetarians and meat-eaters will enjoy. It is a healthy and versatile addition to any meal.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 132kcal
Ingredients
- 9-10 oz silken tofu (or soft tofu)
- 0.25 oz dried wood-ear mushrooms
- 1.25 oz dried glass noodles
- cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots (about 2-3 shallots)
- 1.5 oz fresh mushrooms, diced (such as king oyster mushrooms, about ½ cup diced)
- 1/4 cup diced carrots (about half a carrot, 40g)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, with one yolk set aside separately
Instructions
- Wrap the tofu block in several layers of paper towel. Place a moderately heavy object on top to drain out excess water while you prepare other ingredients.
- Cover dried wood-ear mushrooms with hot water to rehydrate them. Then julienne and finely chop.
- Soak glass noodles in warm water until they are pliable. Cut into small pieces, about ½ - 1 inch long.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add enough cooking oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add minced shallots. Sauté for about a minute until the shallots are fragrant and softened.
- Add the diced mushrooms and diced carrots to the skillet. Continue to stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the chopped wood-ear mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the glass noodle and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Give everything a few more stirs (about 20-30 seconds), then remove from the heat.
- Place the tofu in a large mixing bowl. Either use your fingers or a fork to mash it finely. Add the mixture of mushroom, carrot, and noodles to the bowl together with salt, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a heat-proofed pan lined with parchment paper and cover it with foil. Set up a steamer and steam the loaf for about 20-25 minutes with the steamer lid closed.
- Mix the remaining egg yolk with the remaining sesame oil. Open the steamer, remove the foil covering the loaf and brush the top with the egg yolk. Adjust the heat to medium-low and keep the lid of the steamer slightly askew. Steam for another 4-5 minutes to set the top of the loaf.
- Take the loaf out of the steamer. Let it cool down a bit before slicing it to have a clean cut. Serve with some soy sauce on the side.
Notes
This recipe can serve 3-4 people as a side dish or 2 people as a main dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1461IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg