Easy Homemade Veggie Green Rice Patties

Vegetarian Green Rice Patties (Chả Cốm Chay) are a delightful Vietnamese dish with a unique flavor profile. These delicious patties are surprisingly easy to make, perfect for family dinners or special occasions. Let’s dive into how to make them!

Ingredient Preparation

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• Flattened green rice flakes (Cốm dẹp): 60 grams
• Firm tofu: 1 block
• Hulled mung beans: 100 grams
• Tapioca starch: 15 grams
• Vegetarian seasoning powder: 1 teaspoon
• Cooking oil: 100 ml
• Cilantro: 3 sprigs
• Salt, pepper: to taste

Ingredients for vegetarian green rice patties laid out on a surface

Choosing Fresh Ingredients

Selecting Good Green Rice Flakes

• Prioritize flakes with a natural light green color, not yellowish or overly bright green.
• The flakes should be soft, separate easily, and have a characteristic aroma.

Selecting Quality Mung Beans

• Choose mung beans that are evenly sized, shiny, and have a bright yellow color.
• Avoid beans with signs of pests, mold, or strange odors.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare and Cook Mung Beans

• Rinse the mung beans thoroughly. Soak them in water for 1-3 hours until softened.
• Place the beans in a pot, cover with water, and add a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat until the beans are fully tender.
• Mash the cooked beans until smooth using a spoon or fork.

Step 2: Mix the Patty Mixture

• Crumble the tofu finely and mix it well with the mashed mung beans, flattened green rice flakes, tapioca starch, vegetarian seasoning, pepper, and chopped cilantro.
• Knead the mixture thoroughly to ensure it binds together and becomes pliable.

Mixing mashed mung beans, tofu, and green rice flakes in a bowl

Step 3: Shape the Patties

• Take portions of the mixture, roll them into balls, and then gently flatten them into patties.
• Optionally, coat the outside of the patties with whole green rice flakes for extra texture.

Step 4: Fry the Patties

• Heat the cooking oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Carefully place the patties into the hot oil.
• Fry for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
• Remove the patties and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Frying vegetarian green rice patties until golden brown in a pan

Finished Product

These vegetarian green rice patties, crispy golden on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, are sure to satisfy. They are even more delicious served with chili sauce or a vegetarian dipping sauce.

Plate of cooked golden brown vegetarian green rice patties

Conclusion

With this simple recipe, you can easily make delicious vegetarian green rice patties at home. Give it a try and add it to your family’s repertoire of vegetarian dishes!

Source: Recipe and images adapted from the YouTube channel Nấu Ăn Ngon