Goi Bap Cai Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Cabbage Salad)

To balance out the carbs and meat in my Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) Pot Pie, I made a simple Goi Bap Cai Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Cabbage Salad). Cabbage, a carrot, and an onion, tossed with some Vietnamese fish sauce. Actually, it's not that much different from my recipe for Goi Ga Bap Cai (Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Cabbage).

I used soy-marinated wheat gluten puffs which gave it a nice savoriness, but you can easily leave that out if you wish. I realized in looking at these pictures that I didn't add a handful of chopped herbs like I usually do. Must not have had any on hand. The vegetables are pantry staples and can keep for quite a while so even without the herbs, the red onion and carrot added plenty of color. If you want this to be truly vegetarian, you can easily replace the fish sauce with vegetarian fish sauce.





Goi Bap Cai Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Cabbage Salad)

For about four servings, you'll need:
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 or whole head of cabbage, thinly sliced
Hanh Dam (Vietnamese Vinegared Onions)
1 6 oz can soy-marinated wheat gluten puffs, sliced

Dressing:
Nuoc Mam Cham (Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce)

Optional: About 1 cup rau ram (Vietnamese coriander), roughly chopped, or cilantro if you can't find it, or any other herb of your choice

Prepare Hanh Dam (Vietnamese Vinegared Onions) and set aside. I like to use red onions for the color.

I used these fried wheat gluten puffs in soy sauce.



They look like this. Drain and leave them as is, or give them a quick slice like I did. Set aside.



Slice cabbage into thin strips. Set aside in a big bowl.



Julienne carrots. Put them in the bowl with the cabbage.

Pluck and clean herbs if you're using them. Roughly chop and set aside.

Prepare the Nuoc Mam Cham (Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce) by adding a few cloves of garlic, chili peppers, and a spoonful of sugar into a mortar. Mash into a paste. Then add fish sauce to taste. If you want this to be truly vegetarian, you can substitute with vegetarian fish sauce.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl -- the cabbage, carrots, wheat gluten puffs, herbs, drained vinegared onions, and fish sauce dressing.



Toss until all ingredients have combined evenly. Adjust vinegar, fish sauce, or sugar as needed.



Allow the salad to sit for at least half an hour so the flavors can meld. Salad may also be refrigerated for several hours before serving.



Here it is served with my Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) Pot Pie.



Enjoy!

Some other Vietnamese salads:
Goi Buoi Tom (Vietnamese Pomelo Salad with Shrimp)
Goi Cu Sen Non Tom Thit (Vietnamese Young Lotus Root Salad with Shrimp and Pork)
Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Salad/Spring/Summer Rolls)
Goi Du Du Kho Bo (Vietnamese Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky)
Goi Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Goi Ga Bap Cai (Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Cabbage)
Goi Mit Non Tom Thit Heo (Vietnamese Green Jackfruit Salad with Pork and Shrimp)
Goi Xoai Xanh (Vietnamese Green Mango Salad)
Xa Lach Thit Bo (Vietnamese Steak Salad)
Xa Lach Thit Bo Rau Muong (Vietnamese Steak and Water Spinach Salad)

*****
1 year ago today, Royal/T Cafe (Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years of Hello Kitty/In Bed Together: Art & Bites from Ludo Lefebvre) - Culver City.
2 years ago today, Abraham Partamian Armenian Bakery - Los Angeles (Mid-City).
3 years ago today, where I've eaten AKA I didn't know I was such a glutton and how you can be one too.
4 years ago today, Turkey Tetrazzini from my Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.