Actions speak louder than words and in this case, my action was to make these two nights in a row for my dinner. That's how good these vegan rice paper rolls are... They aren’t a revolutionary recipe creation by any means, however, this recipe is perfect if you're looking for a cheap, quick, healthy and absolutely delicious lunch, dinner or even snack. Yes, yes, yes!
There is something so satisfying about rice paper rolls filled with fresh herbs, veggies, tofu, mango and creamy avocado paired with a flavorful dipping sauce. I could probably eat this every day of the year and not get sick of it. Maybe I should move to Thailand. Or Vietnam. Or Bali....
Verdict: This is definitely my new favorite way to eat vegetables. These crunchy rolls are:
high in nutrients
protein-packed due to the tofu
light but super satisfying
customizable depending on your preference
a great way to use up left over produce in your fridge
easy to make once you get the hang of rolling the rice paper rolls
I admit, rolling rice paper rolls can be a little tricky to use at first, but practice makes perfect. Here's a couple of tips to make your first rice paper rolling experience disaster-free:
Soak the rice paper rolls in hot water one sheet at a time – The wraps hydrate much faster when you use hot water.
Soak them for longer than the package indicates – From my experience, they always take a bit longer. But do not oversoak them either because then they will break down too quickly, making the rolling more difficult.
Lightly shake off the excess water before placing them on your work surface.
Surfaces that work well are large cutting boards, trays or a fresh dishtowel. Personally, I prefer a dishtowel. Note: Some wood surfaces are ver porous and can make the roll stick terribly.
Let the wrap sit on your counter another 30 seconds or so before you start rolling. This makes sure that all the moisture is absorbed before you start.
This particular recipe calls for bell pepper, carrots, avocado, mango, tofu, sprouts, spring onions and coriander as a filling, but feel free to play around with other ideas. Maybe you would like to add cabbage, lettuce and mushrooms? Or some more herbs like chives or mint? The choice is yours!
My favorite way of eating spring rolls is with a thick and creamy peanut butter sauce. All you need for that is:
Peanut butter
Tamari sauce
Sesame oil
Lime juice
Sesame seeds
Hungry yet? Let's get right to the recipe then.
Ingredients (for 20 rolls)
10 sheets of rice paper
1 cup sprouts
1/2 mango
1 avocado
2 carrots
1 bell pepper
200g tofu
2 tbs peanut butter
1tbsp tamari sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
Drop of honey
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cut up your veggies, fruit and other fillings into thin strips.
2. Take a single rice paper sheet and dip it hot water, like explained above. Take out gently, shake off excess water and lay down flat on a kitchen cloth.
3. Add your fillings about 2/3rd of the way down the paper. Make sure you leave a bit of space free on either side so that you have enough rice paper to tuck as you roll.
4. Fold ends in and roll up firmly, starting from the bottom, to enclose filling.
5. Cut the finished spring roll in half.
6. Repeat with remaining sheets and content.
7. To make the dressing, mix peanut butter, tamari, sesame oil, lime juice and drop of honey in a bowl. Add sesame seeds to create a thicker consistency.
8. Eat straight away or store in the fridge for several days. When storing in the fridge, make sure to layer each row of spring rolls with plastic cling wrap so that the spring rolls are not touching and won't stick together.