Lemongrass Tofu Rice Paper Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Tofu is marinated in a Vietnamese-inspired, flavor-packed mixture with garlic, shallot, and lots of lemongrass. You can serve it in these refreshing and light rice paper rolls, as written, or look to the recipe note for a heartier sandwich version. It’s also yummy atop rice bowls with steamed vegetables—see the chart on page 269 for vegetable cooking times in the Instant Pot. "Copyright © 2022 by Coco Morante Photography © 2022 by Dana Gallagher "

Course

Breakfast

Difficulty

Medium

Duration

30-60 min

Diet

Vegetarian

Cooking Technique

Instant Vortex Air Fryer, parchment paper

Keywords

1 block extra-firm tofu, 30-60 min, 4 servings, air fry, avocado oil, bake, breakfast, brown sugar, cook 15 min, cornstarch, cup water, for serving, fresh cilantro sprigs, freshly ground black pepper, garlic clove, garlic cloves, ground ginger, healthy breakfast, healthy greens, instant vortex air fryer, julienned, kosher salt, lemongrass paste, marinade, medium, medium carrots, minced, minced or pressed, natural peanut butter, optional, parchment paper, persian cucumbers, prep 20 min, rice paper wrappers, rolls, sambal oelek, sauce, shredded iceberg lettuce, small shallot, soy sauce or tamari, sriracha, vegan, vegetarian, vegetarian recipes

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Servings

4 Servings

Ingredients

Marinade
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tbsp lemongrass paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp avocado oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sriracha, optional
rolls
8 rice paper wrappers
24 inches Fresh cilantro sprigs
2 cups Shredded iceberg lettuce
2 Persian cucumbers, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
Sriracha or sambal oelek, for serving
1 block extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp small shallot, minced

Instructions

Combine the garlic, shallot, lemongrass paste, brown sugar, avocado oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl and stir to combine. Add the sliced tofu, turning over the pieces in the marinade so that they are all covered evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours .
If using a toaster oven-style air fryer, line the cooking pan with parchment. Preheat the air fryer on BAKE at 400°F and set the cooking time for 10 minutes.
Place the tofu slices on the lined cooking pan, then spoon any leftover marinade on top of them. If using a basket-style air fryer, place the tofu directly in the air frying basket, then spoon the marinade on top.
Bake the tofu in the preheated air fryer.
When the cooking program ends, set aside the tofu to cool for a few minutes while you make the peanut sauce.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the water, soy sauce, cornstarch, and ginger. In a small saucepan, heat the oil and garlic for about 2 minutes over medium heat, until the garlic is bubbling but not browned. To the pan, add the soy sauce mixture, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sriracha (if using). Stir constantly until the sauce is fully combined, bubbling, and thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set it aside.
Prepare the rolls: Fill a shallow dish with warm water. Dunk a rice paper wrapper in the warm water, then place it on your work surface. Place 3 cilantro sprigs on the bottom third of the wrapper, then place a (still-warm) slice of tofu on top of the cilantro. Layer 1/4 cup of the lettuce, then some of the cucumbers and carrots on top. Tuck in the bottom of the roll, then tuck in the sides. Roll up the spring roll from the bottom, taking care to wrap firmly but not so tightly that you tear the delicate rice paper wrapper. Repeat to make eight rolls.
Serve the rolls with the peanut sauce on the side for dipping, along with extra sriracha if you like more spice. If the peanut sauce has thickened while sitting, add a splash of water and stir until it has reached your desired consistency.

Notes

This is one of those rare cases where I find that a convenience ingredient works better than its fresh counterpart. Gourmet Garden brand lemongrass paste, available in the produce section of many larger grocery stores, has a finely processed texture and blends well into the tofu marinade, while fresh lemongrass can remain woody and fibrous even when chopped very finely. A 4-ounce tube of the paste will keep for a long time in the fridge. If you like, you can serve the tofu in sandwiches rather than make rice paper rolls. Spread some mayonnaise on 4 (6-inch-long) sandwich rolls or banh mi (Vietnamese-style) baguettes, then fill each sandwich with 2 slices of tofu and one-quarter of the vegetables listed above. Add a drizzle of Sriracha, if you like.

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