Description
A recipe for fresh spring rolls that packs crunchy vegetables with strips of soy-ginger marinated tofu and a side of the easiest peanut dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the marinaded tofu:
- 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the spring roll filling:
- 2 carrots
- 1 English cucumber
- 4 radishes
- small bunch of chives
- small bunch of cilantro
- 4-5 sprigs of mint
- about 24 rice paper spring roll wrappers (about 6 inches wide)
For the dipping sauce:
- 5 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
Instructions
Drain the water from the tofu and slice the block into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slabs. Lay the slices out on a baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel. Cover the tofu with the towel and place something heavy on top to drain off some of the water from the tofu. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. The more water that's drained, the better the tofu will absorb the marinade.
Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish. Pour this over the tofu and turn the slices to coat all sides. Put the tray of tofu in the fridge to marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Slice the carrot and cucumber into thin matchsticks about two inches long. Thinly slice the radishes. Cut the chives into two-inch pieces. Remove the cilantro and mint leaves from the stems. Place all of your ingredients on a tray and set aside for a few minutes.
Heat your oven's broiler to high and place a rack directly underneath. Take the tofu out of the fridge and drain off the excess marinade into a small bowl. Don't discard, as we'll use this for the dipping sauce! Place the tofu slices in a single layer back on the baking sheet and place them under the broiler for 5 minutes. Flip the tofu and place back under the broiler for another 5 minutes or until browned. Take out of the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Then slice the tofu into thin strips.
Add the peanut butter and sriracha to the bowl of the leftover marinade. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add more soy sauce if not salty enough. If it's really thick, thin out with a little water.
Alright, it's finally time to assemble some spring rolls! Get a shallow pie pan or plate and add some warm water for dipping the wrapper papers. Arrange the plate of water, vegetables, and tofu next to a clean work surface. Get a piece of parchment or plastic wrap for placing the assembled spring rolls onto. They have a tendency to stick.
Dip a sheet of rice paper in the water. Don't let it hang out there. Just dip to coat in water and then lay it on your work surface. Grab a couple of pieces of tofu, a few veggies, and some herbs. Place them across the center of the wrapper, so they're lined up from the left to right (as opposed to top to bottom). Fold the sides inward. Then fold up the bottom and roll upward.
Repeat this process with the remaining wrappers and ingredients. You can make each roll a little different in terms of fillings. Keep in mind that you can see through the wrappers, so you may want to play around with arranging the ingredients to make them look attractive. For instance, try putting a few herb leaves down on the wrapper before placing the other ingredients on top. Just remember to be creative and have fun.
Serve your spring rolls cold or at room temperature with the dipping sauce. They'll keep in the fridge for up to two days.
Notes
Save time by pressing and marinating the tofu up to three days in advance.
Change up the spring roll ingredients and use other herbs and crunchy vegetables. Try shrimp or pork in place of the tofu.
- Prep Time: 80 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Broiling
- Cuisine: Vietnamese