Crisp Vietnamese Vegetarian Spring Rolls with Taro and Tofu

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Shredded taro and pressed tofu do the work meat usually does here, giving the filling real body and a faintly sweet, starchy chew. The whole trick is moisture: salt and squeeze the vegetables hard so the rice paper fries into shattering blisters instead of steaming itself soft. Rolled tight, fried twice, and eaten wrapped in lettuce with herbs and a bright vegetarian nuoc cham.

Ingredients

• 10 oz taro root, peeled and coarsely shredded
• 8 oz pressed (extra-firm baked) tofu, finely diced
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 oz dried glass (mung bean) noodles
• 1/2 oz dried wood ear mushrooms
• 4 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
• 3 whole shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce or soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp neutral oil

• 20 sheets thin rice paper wrappers (8-inch bánh tráng, tapioca-blend if available)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 6 cups neutral oil for frying (canola, peanut or rice bran)

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 tbsp vegan fish sauce or light soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 whole Thai chile, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp finely shredded carrot

• 1 head butter or leaf lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 cup mixed mint, cilantro and Thai basil leaves
• 1 small cucumber, cut into spears

Instructions

1. Wear gloves or oil your hands, then peel the taro and shred it on the large holes of a box grater or with a food processor shredding disc. Toss the shredded taro and carrot with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander and let stand 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the wood ear and shiitake mushrooms with boiling water and soak 20 minutes; cover the glass noodles with hot tap water and soak 10 minutes.
2. Squeeze the taro and carrot in handfuls, hard, over the sink — you should get several tablespoons of liquid out. Finish by wringing them in a clean kitchen towel until they feel barely damp. This is the single most important step for a crisp roll; wet filling steams the wrapper from the inside.
3. Drain the mushrooms, trim any tough stems, and mince them fine. Drain the noodles and cut them into 1/2-inch lengths with scissors. Pat the diced pressed tofu dry with paper towels.
4. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook the shallots and garlic 1 minute until fragrant, add the minced mushrooms and cook 3 minutes until they smell toasty and no moisture is left in the pan. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
5. Add the squeezed taro and carrot, tofu, cut noodles, mushroom stir-fry sauce, sugar, white pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch to the bowl. Mix with your hands for a full minute until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Fry a teaspoon-sized patty in a little oil and taste for salt before rolling.
6. Stir the 1 tablespoon sugar into 1 cup warm water. Working with one rice paper sheet at a time, brush or quickly wipe both sides with the sugar water — do not dunk it. Lay it on a damp towel and wait 20 to 30 seconds until it turns pliable but still has a little resistance.
7. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in a 3-inch log about a third up from the bottom edge. Fold the bottom over the filling and roll once, snug, then fold in both sides and continue rolling tightly to the top. Set seam-side down on a parchment-lined tray, not touching its neighbors. Repeat, making 18 to 20 rolls; keep them uncovered so the outsides dry slightly.
8. Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 325°F. Fry 5 or 6 rolls at a time, seam-side down first, for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until pale gold and firm. Keep the oil between 315°F and 330°F — hotter and the rice paper bubbles and splits before the taro cooks through. Drain on a rack.
9. Whisk the nuoc cham chay: dissolve the sugar in the warm water, then stir in the lime juice, vegan fish sauce, garlic, chile, and shredded carrot. Taste and adjust with more lime or sugar.
10. Raise the oil to 375°F and fry the rolls a second time in batches for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until deep amber and covered in blisters. Drain on the rack, rest 2 minutes, then cut in half on a bias if you like. Serve hot, wrapped in lettuce leaves with herbs and cucumber, dunked in the nuoc cham.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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