Cold Spring Rolls Recipe
Vegetarian Rice Paper Bundles with Fresh Vegetables
Cold rolls can make an interactive dinner or a eye-catching appetizer for a cocktail party without the excess fat of its deep-fried cousin.
Adaptable rice paper bundles can be customized by guests or family members with favourite fillings. Setting up stations or gathering around a table of fillings provides a forum for conversation and a friendly, comfortable atmosphere. Allowing others to prepare their own also cuts down on preparation time for the cook.
For cocktail appetizers, cold rolls can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until needed. Serve with a variety of dipping sauces to suit everyone's tastes. Try teriyaki or szechuan sauce, thai peanut sauce, or sesame tahini dressing. For kids, try milder plum sauce.
Feeding omnivores as well? Marinated, cooked shrimp or chicken can be used in addition to, or instead of the tofu.
Cold Spring Rolls Recipe
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Filling time: 30 minutes
Makes 12-16 rolls
Serves: 4-5 people as a main course; 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients:
Rolls:
- Rice paper wrappers (12-16, plus extra in case of breakage)
- Shallow heat-proof dish deep enough to hold two inches of hot water
- Hot water
Vegetables:
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 large carrots, julienned
- 1 seedless English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 cup bean sprouts OR 1 small bundle bean vermicelli noodles (glass noodles) (do not marinade noodles)
- ½ head Boston lettuce, washed and separated into leaves
Vegetable Marinade:
- About ½ cup rice wine vinegar; enough to cover vegetables
- 1-2 Tbsp. sesame oil
Tofu:
- 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1-2 Tbsp. raw sesame seeds
Dipping Sauce:
- ¼ cup dipping sauce: peanut, sesame tahini, plum or stir-fry sauce (or provide several options)
- Chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or green onions to garnish (optional)
Directions:
- For a dinner where guests will prepare their own rolls, place the red bell pepper, carrot, and cucumber and sprouts (if using) in separate bowls. For pre-made appetizers, place the vegetables (but not the lettuce or vermicelli, if using) together in a large bowl. Choose shallow dishes to ensure the vegetables marinade evenly.
- To each bowl, add enough rice wine vinegar to coat vegetables. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss gently to coat. Set aside.
- Wash and dry Boston lettuce.
- If using vermicelli noodles, re-hydrate according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
For the tofu:
- In a large wok or frying pan, heat 1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Slice the drained tofu into small cubes or small flat strips.
- Add tofu to pan, stirring carefully to prevent burning. Fry gently until golden brown; about 5-10 minutes.
- To the tofu, add hoisin sauce and a splash of sesame oil. Cook and stir one or two minutes longer to coat and heat through.
- Sprinkle cooked tofu with sesame seeds.
- Remove tofu from heat into a clean bowl. Sprinkle with green onions if desired.
To prepare rice paper:
- To re-hydrate the rice papers, use a shallow heat-proof dish deep enough to hold an inch or two of water, and wide enough for the rice paper to lie inside it.
- Heat water to boiling in a kettle or on the stove. Remove from heat.
- Place the dish at the location it will be used. If guests are filling their own rolls, this should be at an accessible location at the beginning of the roll assembly table.
- Fill the dish with water to the height of one or two inches.
- If others are preparing their own rolls, provide each person a flat surface and large plate or clean tea towel. Place one sheet of rice paper into the hot water until soft. Remove and quickly (but gently) place onto the tea towel or plate. Proceed with filling (below) or distribute re-hydrated rice papers to guests.
To fill rolls:
- On the bottom third of the sheet of rice paper, lay one leaf of lettuce and several strips each of marinated bell pepper and carrot. Add cucumbers, marinated tofu and rice vermicelli or bean sprouts, being careful not to over-fill.
- Fold edges of rice paper in towards the centre. Fold the bottom of the rice paper over the filling and roll from bottom to top, like a burrito.
- Slice the roll in half diagonally and arrange on serving plate.
- Repeat with additional rice paper and fillings. Serve with dipping sauce.
