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vegan khao man gai
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Vegan khao man gai (Thai-Hainanese chicken rice ข้าวมันไก่วีแกน)

This four part recipe for vegan chicken rice serves 2 generously, but makes more than you need. You can freeze it or use it as a base for another stock or for gravy. If you can't be arsed to steam the tofu you can also cook it briefly in the stock, though the texture will differ slightly.
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

For the soup

  • 500 millilitres light unsalted stock or water
  • 1 large dried shiitake mushroom or 2-3 small dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 large cloves garlic smashed and peeled
  • 1-2 slices ginger
  • 1 rounded packed tablespoon sliced salted preserved turnip
  • 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch white pepper
  • Handful ½ inch pieces fuzzy gourd you can also use winter melon, daikon or courgette (but may need to adjust cooking times)
  • Coriander to serve

For the rice

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons sliced shallots
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
  • 1 rounded teaspoon chopped coriander stems or chopped coriander roots
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 140 grams about ⅔ cup jasmine rice, washed
  • 200 millilitres stock unsalted or water
  • Leftover sliced shiitake mushrooms from soup optional
  • 1-2 tablespoons ground dried shiitake mushrooms optional
  • 1 teaspoon thin soy sauce see notes
  • ¾ teaspoon white sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 pandan leaves tied (optional)

For the sauce (nam jim khao man gai)

  • 2 tablespoons salted soybean paste (tao jeow) see notes
  • 2 teaspoons palm sugar
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 1 heaped tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black soy sauce see notes
  • 1-2 Thai bird’s eye chillies roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice or white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic

For the yuba

  • 150 grams fresh yuba
  • 2 teaspoons thin soy sauce see notes
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tempura flour I use gogi brand
  • 3 tablespoons water

For serving

  • Cucumber slices
  • Fresh coriander

Instructions

Make the soup

  • To make the soup add all ingredients but the winter melon or daikon to a saucepan. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes. Add melon/daikon and cook another 10-15 minutes until vegetables are knife tender.

Make the rice

  • To make rice, heat oil in a saucepan to medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallots and fry until they begin to brown. Tip the rice in and stir to coat all grains with oil.
  • Add garlic and coriander stems (or root). Cook, stirring often, for about 30 seconds. Add ginger and cook another 30 seconds.
  • Add stock, sliced leftover mushrooms from the soup (optional), ground shiitake (optional), soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir a few times until everything is evenly distributed. Toss the pandan leaf in the pot and poke it down into the rice. Bring to the boil and immediately turn to medium low, cover, and leave to cook for 8-10 minutes. Turn the heat off but keep the lid until ready to serve.

Make the dipping sauce

  • While the rice is cooking, make the dipping sauce. Grind the tao jeow and both kinds of sugars to a smooth paste using a pestle and mortar. Add remaining ingredients stir firmly with the pestle. You can also use a spice grinder for ease or use a store bought chicken rice sauce.

Make the yuba

  • Mix the thin soy sauce and sugar together on a plate with a rim (it's okay if the grains of sugar aren't fully dissolved). Press the sheets of fresh yuba onto the plate and then flip and repeat. Choose whether you want steamed or fried yuba and proceed with the appropriate step below.
  • To make the steamed yuba: Bring a steamer to a rolling boil. Place the marinated yuba on plate (you can use the same plate in the previous step) and steam for 5 minutes. When finished you can drain any pooled liquid into the soup. Cut the yuba into slices.
  • To make the fried yuba: combine the water and tempura flour in a bowl. Coat the yuba evenly with the batter. Deep fry until golden and crispy. Shake off excess oil and cut the yuba into slices.

To serve

  • Divide the rice between 2 plates and place the yuba over or alongside the rice. Serve with a small ramekin of sauce, a bowl of the soup, a few slices of cucumber, and a sprig or two of coriander.

Notes

Please see this Thai seasoning and soy sauce primer for an explanation of the different sauces mentioned in the ingredients.