One of my favorite type of Spring Rolls, I used to find at Trader Joe’s, and sometimes Whole Foods. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, I haven’t been able to find them; nor have I been out enough to look. I’ve been relying heavily on Instacart and Amazon.com for most of my shopping needs.
I was really craving the fresh taste of these rolls, that I decided to make my own. Well, I wasn’t able to get the spring roll wraps (made from tapioca, or rice), so I decided to make the dish as bowl. A tasty bowl I may add too!
The dish is rather simple, and most of the work is in the preparation of the tofu pieces. Tofu is easy to prepare, and can take on most any flavor you add to it. For my tofu sticks, I used organic, sprouted, firm tofu – about 8-ounces.
The easiest way I know how to prepare the tofu is to drain all the water first. The slice it into the bite size pieces you desire. Season the tofu bites with garlic and onion powder, sea salt, parsley flakes, Old Bay Seasoning, or a variety of spicy seasonings, and add some amino acids too. I then place the tofu bites into a heated pan, greased with a light amount of coconut oil or avocado oil, and fry the tofu. Cook the tofu just enough to lightly brown and seal both sides. Remove from the pan, and place on a cookie sheet, and heat in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or longer. The longer you bake it, the dryer the bites. So, it’s really up to you how you want the texture to be.
The traditional spring rolls use uncooked tofu pieces. So, you don’t need to cook them. I just think it adds flavor to this dish, and that’s why I recommend it. The other ingredient that I had to find an alternative for was the purple cabbage. I chose shredded broccoli slaw, which was perfect for this recipe!
For the traditional spicy peanut sauce, I recommend using Ginger Peanut Sauce, made by The Ginger People. “You read this right,” The Ginger People is the name of the manufacturer. They make fabulous, clean ginger products! Everything from pickled ginger, to ginger syrup, and ginger treats. Super yummy stuff!
If you would rather make your own spicy peanut sauce, combine creamy peanut butter, minced garlic, Srirachi sauce, hoisin sauce, and water. You can find other recipes published on the web for this sauce.
Now for the Tofu Spring Roll Bowl recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2.5 oz spring lettuce mix
- 1 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded broccoli slaw
- 1/2 cup prepared rice noodles, thin (cooked, drained, and chilled)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 oz prepared tofu bite-size pieces
- spicy peanut sauce to taste
How to Prepare:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the spring lettuce mix, shredded carrots, shredded broccoli slaw, chopped cilantro, rice noodles, and prepared tofu bites. Toss well, and place in serving bowls. Garnish with spicy peanut sauce. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
Note:
For a crunchier bowl, toss or top with chopped peanuts, or sesame seeds.
This is such a refreshing salad bowl. I hope you try it, and enjoy it as much as I do.
Peace! 🙂
Debbie
Vega-Riffic Recipes 