FEBO at home: Bamiblokje

There's a reason crispy fried noodle cakes are addictive.

That golden crunch when you bite through, the soft noodles inside, the warmth spreading through you. But most versions are kind of bland - crispy shell, bland filling. This one isn't. This homemade bamiblokje gets its character from Yum Phrik, the Thai chilli oil that transforms a simple comfort food into something with real depth. Fresh ginger, coriander, tofu, nothing fancy, but so delicious. 

Better yet, you can make these in batches and freeze them. Pull one out on a Tuesday night when you're tired, fry it golden, and have better than snackbar comfort food on the table in minutes. 

Buying from the snackbar is probably easier, but this is healthier, customisable and we think, far more delicious! Plus kids love to help with the breading. 

Ingredients:

For the bami

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 200g firm tofu, cubed
• 100 g bami vegetables (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 tablespoons Yum Phrik thai crispy chilli oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
• 300g cooked mie noodles
• Light soy sauce to taste 
• Vegetarian mushrooms sauce to taste 
• Salt and pepper to taste

To make it solid

• 50 grams vegan butter
• 50 grams flour
• 500mL vegetable stock
• Scoop Yum Phrik to taste

For the coating:

• 100g plain flour
• liquid from a pack of chickpeas (aquafaba)
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pan. Fry diced onion until softened (5 minutes). Add cubed tofu and bami vegetables, fry for 3 minutes until softened. Season with soy sauce and vegetarian mushrooms sauce. 

2. Stir in fresh ginger and coriander. Add cooked noodles and Yum Phrik, mix everything together well. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. Make the roux: melt vegan butter in a pan, stir in Yum Phrik and flour, cook for 1 minute. Gradually add vegetable stock, stirring constantly until you have a smooth sauce. Mix in noodle mixture and stir until fully combined.

4. Transfer mixture into a lined loaf pan or small cake pan. Press down firmly. Let cool,  freeze for 2 hours (or overnight for best results).

5. Remove from pan and cut into 8-12 pieces. 

6. Bread the blocks - flour, aquafaba, panko (you can repeat aquafaba and panko if you prefer a thick coating
   

TIP: Use one hand for the aquafaba and the other hand for the flour + panko. This keeps a 'wet hand, dry hand' so you dont end up with three soggy bowls of mush halfway through and perfectly breaded fingers. 

1. Heat oil in a deep pan to 170°C. Fry bamiblokjes in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.

2. Serve hot, ideally with extra Yum Phrik mixed into mayonnaise for dipping.

Tips:

• Make these in batches and freeze uncooked. They'll keep for up to 3 months.
• Fry straight from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes cooking time.
• They're best eaten fresh but you can airfry them to reheat.