When my husband saw this on the counter, he mistook it for the caramelized porky crumbles. Yes, they look alike, but these crumbles are vegan, with a citrusy and spicy edge. Tempeh isn’t a Viet ingredient, but I’ve used it in banh mi, pho, and here to mimic meat. When crumbled into small pieces in this recipe, tempeh absorbs the seasonings well and fries up nicely. Whether made from meat or tempeh, these sorts of crumbles are used the same way—to mix into and season rice, kind of like a condiment. Add a side of radish and carrot pickle for refreshing crunch and tang. The crumbles will keep, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days (though they never last long in my house) and are good scooped up with tortilla chips.
This recipe was excerpted from 'Vietnamese Food Any Day' by Andrea Nguyen. Buy the full book on Amazon. See more of our all-time favorite recipes from Andrea Nguyen →
What you’ll need
Mini Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
Bragg Liquid Aminos
$10 At Amazon
Toasted Sesame Seeds
$10 At Amazon
For the best flavor, use old-school all-soybean tempeh, such as Westsoy and Lightlife brands, available at many health food markets; tempeh made with grains lack the umami depth of the traditional kind. When fresh lemongrass is unavailable, substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons lemongrass paste.
Recipe notes
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