Asparagus & Five-Spice Tofu Spring Rolls with Spicy Cashew Sauce
Servings: 10 rolls
Nutrition per serving – calories: 122, fat: 7g (saturated: 1g, unsaturated: 6g), carbohydrates: 13g, protein: 4g, fiber: 1g, sugar: 4g
Spring rolls:
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1⁄4 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 1⁄2 inch pieces
10 Boston lettuce leaves
1/4-1/2 of a daikon radish, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons minced garlic chives, plus extra for garnish
10 rice paper wrappers 6 ounces (1/2 of a package) of five-spice tofu, cut into 1⁄2 x 1⁄4 inch pieces
1⁄4 cup each of mint and cilantro leaves
Bring a medium sauce pan filled with water to boil. Fill a small bowl halfway with ice and water. Add asparagus and 1 teaspoon salt to boiling water and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus). Drain asparagus and transfer to ice bath. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
Whisk ginger, lime juice, vinegar and fish sauce together in medium bowl. Toss in asparagus, carrots, daikon and garlic chives. Set aside.
Fill a round cake pan halfway with hot water. Place one wrapper in water. Flip the wrapper over a couple of times until just softened, about 5 to 10 seconds. (Resist over-soaking. The wrappers will continue to soften even when they are out of the water.) Use both hands to pull the wrapper out of the water and lay on a dry surface. Lay lettuce leaf in center of wrapper. Top with the vegetable filling, followed by two pieces of tofu. Spoon a small portion of sauce on the tofu and top with a few mint and cilantro leaves. Start by rolling the side edges of the wrapper over the filling, then fold in the top and bottom toward the center and continue rolling until the wrapper until it closes. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Slice the rolls in half and serve with remaining nut sauce.
Cashew-coconut sauce:
1 cup unsalted roasted cashew nuts
1⁄4 - 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove
1⁄4 cup coconut milk
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and serve with spring rolls.