Spicy Yuba Spring Rol

Yields: 6 Servings

Photo and Recipe by The Hodo Kitchen

,

We served this amazing fresh spring roll at Cultivate SF earlier this month. So good, we were sold out like a couple of hours into the day! So to make up for disappointing folks, here is the recipe for the spring rolls you can make yourself. The secret ingredient is of course our amazing Spicy Yuba Strips which is available at retail.

---

Ingredients

• 1 (8oz) package Hodo Spicy Yuba Locate Product

• 2 carrots, grated or cut into very fine matchsticks

• 1 daikon (Japanese radish), grated or cut into very fine matchsticks

• 1 c white vinegar

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 5 oz thin rice vermicelli, cooked and drained

• 1 head red leaf lettuce, ribs removed and torn into 2 inch by 4 inch pieces

• 1/2 cup Rau Ram (Vietnamese Cilantro), chiffonade

• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, chiffonade

• 1/2 cup scallions, julienned lengthwise into 2 inch pieces

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

• 1/2 cup mint leaves, whole

• 6, 8-inch round Vietnamese rice papers

• 1 tsp sugar

Nuoc Cham – Vietnamese Dip

• 1 red Fresno chile seeded and minced

• 5 tbsp sugar

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 4 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp mushroom powder

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Nuoc Leo – Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red Fresno chile, seeded and minced

• 1/3 c hoisin sauce

• 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate or 2 Tablespoons lime juice

• 1/3 c creamy peanut butter

• 2 tbsp water

• 2 tbsp tamari

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare the pickles.  Place sugar in vinegar in a pot, bring to a boil to dissolve.  Cool the pickling liquid.  Grate carrots and daikon, pour in cooled pickling liquids and let sit overnight.  Drain and squeeze dry before use.

2. Prepare the noodles: Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Drop rice vermicelli in, bring to boil again.  Remove from heat. Cover for 15 minutes.  Drain and fluff.  Set aside.

3. Assemble: Line a sheet pan with a damp tea towel and have another damp towel ready to cover the rolls.  Prepare a work surface with a clean damp tea towel or use a stainless steel surface.  Have all the ingredients mise-en-place.

4. Fill a saute pan with 2 inches of water.  Add sugar, bring water to a boil, then turn heat to very low.  Working with a sheet of rice paper at a time, dip one half into the hot water.  Switch halves and dip the other half into the water. Remove and quickly lay out flat on work surface.  (Don’t worry if the rice paper seems hard still, it will soften very quickly.)

5. Place a leaf of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper.  Then top with a small amount of rice noodles then sesame yuba, spread on some of the pickles, then 2 tablespoons herb mixture.

6. Fold the left and right side over the filling.  Holding the sides in place, fold the bottom flap up and roll the roll up into a cylinder.  You want the shrimp-mint to show through the wrapping.  Lay the rolls flap side down on the moistened towel and cover with another moist towel until ready to serve.  Cut the spring rolls into half crosswise and serve with dipping sauces.

7. To make the Vinaigrette:
   Whisk ingredients except garlic together in a small saucepot and heat till sugar dissolves. Cool, then add in minced garlic.

8. To make the dipping sauce:
   Mince garlic and chile and transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining ingredients – hoisin, tamarind juice, peanut butter, water, fish sauce, and sugar. And whisk to combine. Depending on the consistency of the peanut butter, you may need to add more water to make sauce the consistency of thick caramel. Stir in chopped nuts just before serving.