Meatless Monday Cooking Demo with Nadia

Summer Rolls with Tofu

Ingredients

Roll Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra firm tofu
• 8 oz rice vermicelli or maifun noodles
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 cup purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced strips
• Brown rice paper wrappers
• Optional: cilantro, mint, sprouts, green onions

Peanut Dipping Sauce Ingredients

• ¼  cup creamy natural peanut butter
• ¼  cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp tamari, reduced salt soy sauce, or coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce (optional or start with less if you need less spice)
• 1-3 tbsp water to thin

Instructions

PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE

1. Prepare the peanut dipping sauce. Add all ingredients to a bowl or large jar and whisk until smooth. Adjust seasonings based on taste.
2. Add 2 tbsp of the peanut sauce to a separate bowl with 1 tsp to thin it. This will be the marinade for the tofu.

TOFU

1. Remove tofu from the package and drain.
2. Slice tofu lengthwise in half.
3. Use a tofu press to remove excess water from tofu. I don’t have a tofu press so I use a DIY method:
   1. Place tofu in a pan. Place another pan on top of the tofu. Place a heavy weight on the top pan and let it rest for at least 10-20 minutes.
4. Place your pressed tofu onto a cutting board. Cut into ½-1 inch cubes. Add your tofu marinade and stir until well coated. Add more if needed.
5. Heat a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Add cubed tofu to the pan. Cook until slightly crispy and brown, stirring, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside and cool.

VERMICELLI NOODLES

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles.
2. Add the noodles to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain in a strainer, and rinse under cold water. Place in a bowl and set aside.

PREPARING THE ROLLS

1. Prep your work station.
   1. Wash, separate lettuce leaves, and dry
   2. In a large plate or separate bowls, place sliced cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, cucumbers, and any other veggies you are using.
   3. In a large bowl or pot, add warm water. This will be used to soften the rice paper wrappers during the next step.
2. Take your first rice paper wrapper. Place one in the bowl of warm water for a few seconds until it slightly softens.
3. Place the softened rice paper on a cutting board. Put half of one romaine leaf in the center of the paper. Add a small amount of rice noodles and the veggies.
4. Fold one side of rice paper, then fold in the other side. Then fold in the top and bottom, roll, and seal with your fingers.
5. Continue on with your remaining rolls.
6. To store and prevent the rolls from drying out, place a slightly damp paper towel on the bottom and top of the rolls.