Coconut Tofu Bun Cha

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boil for the noodles. Peel the carrots, discard the peels, and continue to peel the carrots into ribbons. Peel and mince the garlic. Thinly slice the radishes. Trim and thinly slice the cucumber and jalapeño into rounds. Drain the tofu, pat dry with paper towels, and slice into 6 steaks. Zest the lime and cut half into wedges.

Add the cornstarch and 3 tbsp water to a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. Transfer the coconut flakes to a plate. Coat the tofu steaks in the cornstarch mixture and then press into the coconut flakes to coat evenly. Transfer coconut crusted tofu to a cutting board.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, the coconut crusted tofu and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Add the vermicelli rice noodles to the boiling water and remove from the heat. Cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

In a large bowl, combine the carrot ribbons, ½ tsp lime zest, juice from half the lime, cooked noodles, and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, stir together the minced garlic, sweet chile sauce, and 1 tsp water.

Divide the noodles between shallow bowls. Top with sliced cucumber, sliced radish, and as much sliced jalapeño as you’d like. Add the coconut crusted tofu to the bowls and drizzle with sweet chile sauce. Serve with lime wedges. Bon appétit!