Turmeric Tofu Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Mise en place (the French culinary term that means "putting in place" or "everything in its place") is like meditation for Type A people. Meditation = focusing on your breath, acknowledging thoughts and letting them pass + building mindfulness. Mise en place = focusing on your cuts, acknowledging your thoughts and letting them pass (since distraction could mean a sliced finger) + setting your dish up for success. What morning meditation does to set the rest of your day up for success, mise en place does for your forthcoming meal.
As someone who struggles to sit still, channeling my energy into something repetitive and precise like julienning carrots or dicing onions quiets my mind. So it’s no surprise that my favorite kind of meal is heavy on the mise en place, light on the cookery. For this reason, I love taco nights, grain bowls, pizza parties, and now, spring rolls!
The build-your-own element of these meals means that everyone gets to be the chef. I like to put out more options than could fit in one taco, on one pizza, etc. so it’s creative and playful. The table looks extra pretty with lots of little dishes and pops of color, too! I’ll save the leftover elements for the next day’s lunch salads so nothing goes to waste.
These spring rolls were inspired by Heidi Swanson’s version, called Turmeric Grilled Tofu Spring Rolls. My version doesn’t require a grill and uses the leftover marinade to create a yummy dipping sauce, which is a happy side effect of meatless marinades. The spring rolls are a perfect weeknight meal in spring and summer when there’s plenty of crunchy veg in season to use as fillings! The translucent rice paper shows off the bright turmeric-stained tofu, fresh herbs, and expertly sliced veg. Since I live in a two-person household, we like to end the meal by assembling extra spring rolls for the next day’s lunch because they hold up so well. For all these reasons, these turmeric tofu spring rolls check all the boxes → healthy, satisfying, beautiful, easy, and fast!
Ingredients (makes 8-10 spring rolls):
1 package extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, grated
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt
Extra thin rice noodles
Rice paper
Crunchy vegetables (i.e. romaine, snap peas, asparagus, radish, carrots)
Fresh herbs (i.e. mint, basil, cilantro)
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Directions:
Drain and dry the tofu and slice into ¼ inch pieces.
Combine the minced garlic, minced ginger, turmeric, coconut milk, olive oil and salt in a container large enough to hold the tofu slices in 1-2 layers. Mix with a fork or whisk until integrated. Add the tofu and gently turn to cover the pieces with the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to a couple of hours.
Prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
Chop the vegetables however you fancy! You’re looking for thin cuts and nothing too jagged so you don’t puncture the rice paper.
Heat a bit of oil in a cast iron or nonstick skillet. Cook the tofu for two minutes on each side. There should be some browning/caramelization going on. Remove the pieces and let them cool slightly. Slice into long pieces.
Drain the marinade into a small food processor. Add the peanut butter, sriracha, sesame oil and soy sauce and blend to combine. Add more peanut butter if you prefer a thicker sauce and adjust the other ingredients to taste. (this could be done with a whisk/fork if you don’t have a food processor, but may not have such a cohesive texture).
Fill a dinner plate with warm water. Submerge a piece of rice paper in the water for a few seconds. (don’t over soak or the paper will tear when you assemble the spring roll) Lay the wet rice paper on a cutting board or plate and fill it with your ingredients in a rectangular shape. Try to stack the ingredients on top of one another instead of next to each other. Roll it up like a burrito by folding one side over the ingredients, then folding in the edges, then continuing to roll it until it’s sealed. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Eat immediately with the dipping sauce or save it in the fridge for up to one day (though they do taste best when fresh).