Cold Rolls Recipe

For the noodles:

• 1 packet buckwheat soba noodles (use 100% buckwheat if you want the rolls to be gluten free)
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil

For finishing the rolls :

• 4 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 tbs rice vinegar
• 1 red cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 zucchini grated or thinly sliced into long matchsticks
• 1 cup green seasonal vegetables, we used asparagus, cucumber, green capsicum and snow peas
• Leaves from 1/2 a bunch of mint and 1/2 bunch of coriander

• 4 spring onions
• 1 red onion, sliced
• Extra firm tofu (preferably smoked or braised) cut into batons
• 12-16 rice paper spring roll wrappers

For the dipping sauce:

• 1 tbs smooth nut butter – we used almond butter, peanut butter is good too
• 2 tbs tahini
• 1/3 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 1 inch knob of fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbs maple syrup or agave syrup

• 3 tbs rice vinegar
• Optional 1 tsp fresh green chilli, finely diced

Cook the noodles:

1. Bring a large saucepan filled with lightly salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until tender (see the package for cooking time).
2. Drain and rinse well with cool water, then toss with the 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set aside.

Prepare the fillings

1. Peel the carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Place in a medium bowl and toss with the rice vinegar. Set aside.oil.
2. Wash and pick coriander and mint leaves.
3. Cut spring onions crosswise into 4 cm lengths, then into long slivers.
4. Cut the tofu into batons.
5. Cut the green vegetables into strips.

For the dipping sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a glass jar with a lid and shake vigorously.oil.

Assemble the rolls:

1. Fill a very large bowl with warm water. Have the wrappers and ingredients nearby, as well as a large plate or cutting board to shape the rolls on, and a platter on which to place the finished rolls. (I find that a wet tea towel or cloth works well to roll the wrappers onto, it must be wet and wrung out or the rice paper will stick).
2. Submerge a wrapper in the warm water and hold it there until it has softened a bit but still holds its shape.
3. Lay the wrapper on the plate or cutting board (or wet tea towel). On the lower third of the wrapper, place a small handful of noodles, tofu, 3-4 spears of green vegetables, a few carrot ribbons, several slivered spring onions and red onion and a generous handful of herbs.
4. Grasp the bottom of the wrapper with your thumbs and forefingers and cup the filling with your other six fingers to fold the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling. (it may take a bit of practice to get the right amount of pressure so that the wrapper doesn’t tear but the filling is pressed tightly enough to hold together when the rolls are cut). Fold both sides of the wrapper in toward the centre, then fold the roll the rest of the way. (For pretty rolls, we scattered black sesame seeds and a few herb leaves on the wrapper before making the final fold).
5. Assemble the remaining rolls, covering the finished ones with damp paper towels or a clean, damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.