Vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Vietnam offers one of Asia’s best gastronomy, professional critics and tourists agree with that. Some vegans have a hard time finding good vegan Vietnamese food since most of their dishes have meat. But, did you know that you can enjoy a taste of Vietnam as a vegan?

You can, in fact, enjoy Vietnamese vegan flavors right in the comfort of your home. Check out this Vietnamese spring rolls with crispy tofu.

Before we start, here are some information about Vietnamese spring rolls or Gỏi cuốn:

• This is a traditional Vietnamese dish that originated in China.
• It has traditionally consisted of pork, prawns, vegetables, and rice vermicelli.
• These spring rolls are considered as the best-known appetizers in Vietnamese restaurants.
• This is the second most known Vietnamese food worldwide after pho.

Now, here’s a vegan take on the world-famous Vietnamese spring rolls.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu

Ingredients:

Spring Rolls

• 1 1/2 cups julienned vegetables (such as carrots, red pepper, and cucumber)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• 4 ounces vermicelli or rice noodles (the thinner the better)
• 8-10 whole spring roll rice papers

Almond Butter Dipping Sauce

• 1/3 cup salted creamy almond butter
• 1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce (tamari if gluten-free)
• 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar, agave, or honey if not vegan (depending on preferred sweetness)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
• Hot water (to thin)

Crispy Tofu

• 8 ounces extra-firm tofu (drained and thoroughly dried/pressed)
• 4 Tbsp sesame oil (divided)
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 1/2 Tbsp almond butter dipping sauce
• 1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar or agave nectar

1. Prepare your rice noodles in boiling hot water for ten minutes, then drain and set them aside. After that, heat a large pan or skillet on medium temperature. Cut your pressed tofu into small rectangular slices then toss in three tablespoons of cornstarch.
   
2. For about five minutes, fry the tofu slices in sesame oil, flip all the sides and make sure that the tofu is equally brown. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.
   
3. Get your vegetables ready and prepare to make the almond butter dipping sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients, except for the water, to a mixing bowl then whisk to combine all the components. Add hot water thoroughly until it reaches a pourable consistency. (Disclaimer: you can adjust the flavors if needed, you can add additional spices or sugar if you want to.)
   
4. Next step, to enhance the flavor of the tofu, add approximately 3 teaspoons of the almond butter sauce to the fried tofu in a mixing bowl. After that add an additional tablespoon of soy sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar or agave, whisk and combine.
   
5. Put the tofu back on the skillet/pan over medium heat, then add the sauce. Stir until it covers and gets absorbed by the tofu. Set it aside, afterward.
   
6. This time, assemble your spring rolls. Immerse your rice paper on a shallow dish with hot water for 10-15 seconds to soften. Then, transfer the softened rice paper to a damp cloth and gently spread it out to form a circle.
   
7. To arrange the ingredients in the rice paper, put a small handful of vermicelli noodles on the bottom third part. Then, layer the carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, and fresh herbs in the middle. In the top third of the rice paper, put 2-3 pieces of tofu. Gently fold the rice paper once, tuck in its edges, and roll it until its seams are sealed.
   
8. On a serving platter, place the spring roll seam-side down and cover it with a damp warm cloth to keep its freshness. Repeat the steps until the spring roll fillings are used up. About 8-10 spring rolls could be made with the given ingredients.
   
9. You can serve the vegan Vietnamese spring rolls with almond butter sauce or any sauce of your choice. 

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