Spicy Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet Tamarind Fondue

Posted by: Matthew

Serves 4

Spring Rolls, so named because they are typically eaten during Chinese Festivals in the Spring, are normally filled with crispy vegetables and sometimes cabbage or mushrooms.  They are not always vegetarian, but quite often are.  The wrapper in this recipe makes use of one of my favorite techniques and embraces, rather than overpowers, the filling.

 

INGREDIENTS

 

Wrappers

  • 2 Cups flax meal
  • 2 Cups yellow squash
  • 1 Cup chopped Thai coconut meat
  • 2 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 4 Cups water
  • 1/4 Cup agave
  • 1 Tsp. sea salt
  • 1 Tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 Tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

Filling

  • 1 Cup julienned carrots
  • 1/4 Cup sliced scallions
  • 1 Cup shredded napa cabbage
  • 1 1/2 Cups dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked 1 hour and dehydrated for 2 hours
  • 1/2 Tsp. sea salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 Cup olive oil

Tofu

  • 1 Cup cashews, soaked 1-2 hours
  • 1/2 Cup fresh young Thai coconut meat
  • 1/2 Cup raw carrageenan
  • 1/4 Cup water
  • 1/4 Tsp. sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder
  • 1/4 Tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 Cup cilantro

Chile Sauce

  • 3/4 Tsp. chipotle chile powder
  • 2 Cups cashews, soaked 1-2 hours
  • 1/4 Tsp. sea salt
  • 1/4 Cup nama shoyu
  • 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tbs. water
  • Sweet Tamarind Sauce
  • 1 Cup dried tamarind paste
  • 1/2 Cup raw agave
  • 3 Tbs. lime juice
  • 1/4 Cup coconut water
  • 2 Tbs. water
  • 1/2 Tsp. salt
  • Garnish Cilantro leaves

METHOD

 

Wrappers

Blend all ingredients except scallions in a Vita-Mix until smooth; stir in scallions. Spread thinly into 6-7 inch rounds on dehydrator teflex sheets. Dehydrate 5-6 hours until very dry but very pliable.

Filling

Fold all ingredients together.

Tofu

Line the bottom and sides of a small pan or square container with plastic wrap. Blend all ingredients except cilantro in Vita-Mix until completely smooth; stir in cilantro. Pour into lined pan (tofu should be about 1 1/2 inches thick): cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate about 2 hours until firm. Remove tofu from container by lifting plastic wrap out of pan and gently transferring to a cutting board. Cut tofu into 2-inch squares with a butter knife.

Chile Sauce

Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix until smooth.

Sweet Tamarind Fondue

Blend all ingredients well in Vita-Mix. Strain though a chinois.

ASSEMBLY

Fold the chile sauce into spring roll filling, add tofu and adjust seasoning. Place a large tablespoon of filling on each spring roll wrapper and spread it out in a row. Fold wrappers tightly. To serve, cut each wrapper on a bias lengthwise, lean one against the other, and garnish with Sweet Tamarind Fondue and cilantro leaves.