Radish and Crispy Tofu Summer Rolls with Peanut Miso Dipping Sauce

The weather has finally turned for the best here (knock on wood). The endless days of rain have stopped and instead the ground has actually been able to be warmed by the sun, which means everything is green and bright and growing outside, and all of Oregon looks like its saturation has been turned up tenfold. Because of this, and my body’s deep need for the sensation of direct sunlight, I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors lately enjoying the beauty of the bike trails and the city. I recently got a new bike (YAY!!!!!!) and I’m kiiiiind of obsessed with it. I’ve always wanted a bike that actually had several speeds on it to make it easier for going up and down hills on biking paths around here, but I also wanted it to be stylish and slightly feminine, and it also *had* to have a basket. How else am I going to transport food with me at all times? Well, I found my bicycle soulmate in the Electra Loft 7i and it’s lovely green tea color. Jeremy rides his grandpa’s old bicycle that’s still in awesome shape, so the two of us went on a little bike ride along an amazing path in the Columbia Gorge called Starvation Creek. Even though the name might not intuit it, there’s actually lots of picnic tables along the lovely waterfall there, so I packed us up a portable and tasty lunch of delicious radish and crispy tofu summer rolls for the afternoon!

One of my favorite quick and easy meals to pick up when I’m out is summer rolls, they’re these Vietnamese-style rolls that looks like spring rolls but are bigger, and instead of being fried they’re wrapped in a soft and stretchy rice paper wrapper, so all the veggies inside are raw and stay nice and crispy! You can stuff summer rolls with any kind of vegetables, really, but I ended up frying up some strips of tofu and stuffing them inside the summer rolls along with shaved vibrant radishes, arugula, and green onions. To counter the freshness with a little richness, I made a peanut miso dipping sauce for them. Once assembled, the rolls keep really well in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap, so when I make these I usually whip up a big batch and then wrap them up, refrigerate them and eat them for lunch over the course of a few days. I hope you guys enjoy them as much as I do and are soaking up the springtime sunshine!

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Radish and Crispy Tofu Summer Rolls with Peanut Miso Dipping Sauce

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 12 summer rolls

Author Eva Kosmas Flores

Ingredients

Radish and Crispy Tofu Summer Rolls

• 12 ounces extra firm tofu (drained and patted dry)
• canola oil (for frying)
• 12 (8 1/2-inch) round rice paper wrappers
• 5 ounces baby arugula
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 12 green onions (green stems cut into 4-inch long pieces)
• 2 large (or 6 small) radishes sliced very thin (using a mandolin helps)

Peanut Miso Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup miso paste
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1-2 teaspoons chili garlic paste or hot sauce (depending on personal spice preference)
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

Radish and Crispy Tofu Summer Rolls

1. To make the crispy tofu, cut the tofu into 5-inch long strips that are roughly 3/4 inch thick and wide. Pat them dry with paper towels. Heat the canola oil over medium high heat and add the tofu strips in an even layer in the hot oil, working in batches as necessary so you don't crowd them in the pan. Fry until golden and crispy on each side, turning as needed, about 4 to 7 minutes per side. Remove and set on a plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Before you being assembling the rolls, make sure all of the ingredients are ready and placed around a clean work surface. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Submerge one of the sheets of rice paper in the water until it is soft and pliable, about 10 to 20 seconds. Place the rice paper flat on the working surface and place 3 of the large radish slices down the center, leaving a couple inches of empty space at each end. Place a piece of the crispy tofu over the radishes, followed by a small handful of the arugula, two of the green onion stem pieces, and a pinch of the cilantro.

3. Fold the left side of the wrapper over the filling, then fold the right side over the filling and press down gently to secure. Hold the whole wrap firmly in place and fold the top and bottom flaps in and press gently to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

4. To store, you can wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Peanut Miso Dipping Sauce

1. Whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.