Vegatarian Vietnamese Ham: chả chay

 

 Vegetarian cha (Vietnamese Ham)

My mom usually makes Giò lụa or chả lụa with chicken and pork. She told me that the vegetarian version is much simpler to make. She was right. 

To make 2 blocks of the chả chay:

* 2 bags of dry bean curd sheets--soak them in hot water for 3-8 hours or overnight. Then boil them until it is mushy consistency (about 30 minutes on high heat)

* Mushroom salt (the one without MSG), about $3 per bag. Use 2-3 tsp per block

* Green onion (use the white ends)--about 8 or as many as you'd like. On a frying pan, add oil then stir fry the green onion until fragrant

* salt (1/2 tsp per block)

*  banana leaf (frozen, $1.99 per bag. For 2 blocks, you'll only need 1/6 of a bag)

* strings (any will do, as long as you can tie the block)

That was my first trial and it came out okay. Will update once I add more to this recipe.