Thai Spring Rolls with Tofu
Yield: 4 Servings (makes 8 approximately)
Ingredients
2 oz thin rice vermicelli noodles
Tofu – firm
½ cucumber (cut into julienne)
2 fresh carrots, peeled and cut into julienne or coarsely grated
Vegetable Marinade:
1 T sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ tsp Nam Pla (fish sauce)
8 rice paper wrappers for spring rolls “Banh Trang”
8 lettuce leaves
8 chives, sliced in half the long way
½ cup cilantro/mint leaves, de-stemmed (Optional Ingredients: Mint leaves, flavored tofu, jicama, parsnip, etc.)
Method
- Soak the noodles in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain. Set aside. You may want to cut the noodles.
- Vegetable marinade: Combine sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar and fish sauce and set aside.
- Put the peeled carrot into a bowl and add just enough of the marinade to coat and give the vegetables a bit of flavor. Do the same with the cucumber or any other vegetables you use.
- Put the lettuce, mint, chives and cilantro on a plate.
- Drain tofu and pat dry. Slice into long rectangles.
- Fill a wide bowl with warm water. A cake pan works well.
- Dip a Banh Trang (rice paper) into water, it will soften within a second.
- Remove, shake off excess moisture and put onto a cutting board. Lay a piece of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper, noodles, some cucumber and carrot on top.
- Arrange tofu along the top with a few cilantro leaves, and a couple of chives.
- Roll the rice paper over halfway into a cylinder, then fold in the sides.
- Continue to roll up and press to seal. Arrange on a plate and enjoy with peanut dipping sauce.
Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 tablespoons Nam Pla (Thai fish sauce)
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup water
1 red or green chili for heat
1 cup, unsalted, creamy peanut butter
Method
- Over medium-high heat add garlic, fish sauce, rice vinegar, citrus juice, sugar, water and chile.
- Mix well, remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.