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    Bi Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Shredded Pork)

    Published: Jul 8, 2021 by Kaylie This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Cut tofu and vegetables in a bowl.

    Bi chay is a vegetarian version of a Vietnamese shredded pork meat and skin dish. This meatless dish is made with tofu, jicama, carrots, sweet potatoes, mung bean noodles and roasted rice powder.  It’s a mainstay dish that will add variety to Vietnamese vegetarian meals including bi chay spring rolls, banh mi sandwiches, rice noodle bowls (bun bi chay) and much more!  

    Shredded fried tofu and vegetables in a bowl.

    I pretty much lived on bi chay during my college years as a vegetarian.  I would often visit the Buddhist temples and vegetarian restaurants that served it and enjoyed the various ways it could be added to many Vietnamese vegetarian dishes.  My mom often makes bi chay at home, and this recipe is inspired by her version.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients & Notes
    • Instructions
    • Pro Tips
    • How to Serve
    • More Vietnamese Recipes You’ll Love
    • Bi Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Shredded Pork)

    Ingredients & Notes

    Ingredients for bi chay.

    Tofu: Used as the “mock” pork. It’s best to use firm tofu for frying as it holds up better. 

    Roasted Rice Powder: An aromatic dry seasoning made from toasted rice that enhances all the flavors in this dish. This is a must have ingredient. Get this at your local Asian market, it’s called thinh in Vietnamese. 

    Jicama: A root vegetable that gives the dish a slightly sweet and nutty crunch. Get this at your local Asian market, or at good produce stores like Sprouts (if you’re in the States). 

    Sweet Potatoes: Add a crispy layer to the mix. I used purple sweet potatoes for a bit of color, but any sweet potato will do. 

    Mushroom Seasoning: Adds a bit of umami and saltiness to the dish. Get this at your local Asian market.

    Mung Bean Thread Noodles: Made of mung beans, they add an additional crunch. These can be found in the dry noodles aisle at the Asian market.

    Instructions

    Image of how to cut ingredients for bi chay.
    How to cut ingredients for bi chay.

    1). Prep the ingredients: Cut the tofu into ¼ inch thick slices.

    2). Julienne or thinly slice the carrots, jicama and sweet potatoes.

    Steps on how to make bi chay.

    3). Saute the carrots and jicama with mushroom seasoning for 3 to 4 minutes and set aside.

    4). Fry the tofu for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown, then drain and set aside.

    5). Fry the mung bean noodles for about 15 seconds.

    6). Fry the sweet potatoes for about 30 seconds, do this last to prevent any color absorbing into the other ingredients.

    Image of shredded tofu in a bowl and shredded tofu with vegetables in a bowl.

    7). Thinly cut the fried tofu. 

    8). Add all the ingredients and rice seasoning, salt and sugar to the bowl and mix!

    Closeup image of bi chay, tofu and vegetable mixture.

    Pro Tips

    • After frying each ingredient, place it on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil. 
    • Use kitchen scissors to cut the tofu into thinner slices quicker. 
    • You can freeze bi chay in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
    • Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

    How to Serve

    • Use it as a filling for vegetarian spring rolls.
    • Add it as a filling to make vegetarian banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches)
    • Add it to rice noodles with a nuoc cham chay (vegetarian dipping sauce). 
    • Serve it as a side with broken rice (com tam bi chay). 

    More Vietnamese Recipes You’ll Love

    • Bowl of egg noodles in broth with shrimp, bok choy and wontons, garnished with green onions.
      Wonton Noodle Soup (Mì Hoành Thánh )
    • bowl with cabbage, mint, cilantro, shredded chicken and red pepper, peanut garnished
      Authentic Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)
    • Bowl of rice noodles with soup, crab meatballs, tomatoes and garnished with fresh greens and herbs.
      Bun Rieu Cua (Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup)
    • A bowl of rice porridge with shredded chicken, garnished with green onions.
      Chao Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Rice Porridge)

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    Bowl of mixed shredded tofu and vegetables.

    Bi Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Shredded Pork)

    Kaylie
    Bi Chay is a vegetarian version of a Vietnamese shredded pork meat and skin dish. This is a great main stay dish used for Vietnamese Vegetarian side dishes and mains such as spring rolls, rice noodles and rice bowls. Made with tofu, jicama, carrots, sweet potatoes, bean thread and rice seasoning.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 40 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese
    Servings 6 People
    Calories 470 kcal

    Equipment

    • frying pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 14 ounces firm tofu
    • 1 ½ cups carrots, julienned 2 small carrots
    • 1 ½ cups sweet potato, julienned about 1 small sized potato
    • 1 cup jicama, julienned
    • ½ bundle bean thread
    • 5 tablespoons roasted rice powder
    • 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning powder
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup oil for frying

    Instructions
     

    • Pat tofu dry with a paper towel. Cut into ¼ inch thick pieces.
    • In a frying pan, add about 1 tablespoon of oil and heat on medium high. Add carrots, jicama and mushroom powder. Saute for about 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Set aside on a plate with a paper towel to soak up oil.
    • Add enough oil to the pan for frying. Heat on medium high until hot. Add tofu pieces and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden. Set aside on a plate with a paper towel.
    • Add bean thread bundle to the frying pan (make sure there is enough oil in the pan to cover the noodles) and fry for about 15 seconds until noodles puff up. Remove immediately and place on paper towels to soak up the oil.
    • Fry sweet potatoes until crispy about 30 seconds. Set aside on a plate with a paper towel.
    • Cut the fried tofu into thin pieces.
    • Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to break up the fried noodles into smaller pieces. Add sugar, salt and roasted rice powder. Mix all ingredients well.

    Notes

    *Nutritional facts provided are only an estimate, accuracy is not guaranteed. 
    • Use kitchen scissors to cut the tofu into thinner slices faster. 
    • Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
    • To thaw frozen leftovers, set in the refrigerator for 30 to 40 minutes and heat in microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds to warm it up. Avoid overheating it in the microwave, it can burn quickly. 
    • Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    • Serve bi chay as a filling for vegetarian spring rolls, banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) or top it over rice noodles or rice. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6peopleCalories: 470kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 7gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 202mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 10068IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @apeachyplate or hashtag #apeachyplate!
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    Primary Sidebar

    Hello, I’m Kaylie -a licensed registered nurse and mommy to two hungry little boys who oversee my taste-test kitchen. Here you’ll find tasty recipes made with real ingredients that I cook for my family – from healthy and nourishing, to savory and comforting. I hope you enjoy, from my family to yours!

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    Hello, I’m Kaylie -a licensed registered nurse and mommy to two hungry little boys who oversee my taste-test kitchen. Here you’ll find tasty recipes made with real ingredients that I cook for my family – from healthy and nourishing, to savory and comforting. I hope you enjoy, from my family to yours!

    More about me →

    Easy Instant Pot Recipes

    • Closeup mashed potatoes in a bowl.
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    • Sliced up pork ribs.
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    • Pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw.
      Instant Pot Bone-In Pulled Pork Shoulder
    • Bowl of rice noodle soup with beef and herbs.
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    • Bowl of fried rice with sausage, vegetables, eggs and green onions.
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    • Noodles with shrimp on a plate.
      Vietnamese Garlic Noodles with Shrimp

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