Being a low-carber, trying to adhere to the Ketogenic Diet, I have to say I really miss my Vietnamese Vermicelli.
In the past, anytime I would go to a Vietnamese Restaurant, I would always order the Vermicelli With a Spring Roll. It is a dish that consists of Vermicelli noodles, topped with a lettuce salad, fresh mint and a sliced-up springroll, tossed in a spicy, sweet, tangy dressing.
If you’ve never tried this, I know it sounds weird, but it is truly spectacular. I am getting hungry just writing this!
Obviously, there are lots of carbs in Vermicelli noodles. I decided to mimic some of the flavors in my creation that I simply called Vietnamese Vegan Soup. The result was a fabulous mix of exotic flavors.
Rather than add carrots, I used red pepper to make it lower carb. I used 1/3 tsp of cayenne to give it some spice. To make it more spicy, just add more cayenne pepper.
Here is the recipe.
Vegan Vietnamese Soup
(Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as an appetizer)
About 1/4 cup Vegan chicken (breaded or not) , tofu or other seitan
Coconut oil (or your choice of oil) for frying
1/2 large red pepper (chopped into small bits)
1/2 small red onion (chopped into small bits)
1 cup mushroom broth
2 cups water
400 ml can of coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp stevia
1/3 to 2/3 tsp cayenne pepper
Fresh mint
Fresh basil (optional)
Method:
(If using tofu, saute first in a pan with coconut oil, about 5 minutes). Add the peppers and onion until softened, about 10 minutes, in the pan.
Place tofu and veggies in a pot along with water and mushroom broth and cook, while covered, on medium for about 15 minutes. If using already cooked seitan, add it here now also. Add all of the remaining ingredients and continue to cook, covered for 6-7 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with fresh mint, or a mix of mint and basil and enjoy!