Ho Chi Min fried spring rolls recipe

These Pan-Asian rolls were my all-time favourite dish from my parents’ restaurant. Crispy rice paper stuffed with crunchy peppers, crisp beansprouts and noodles, all wrapped up in an ice-cold lettuce leaf and then dipped in chilli sauce – sheer heaven.

Prep time: 40 minutes, plus 20 minutes marinating | Cooking time: 35 minutes

SERVES

Three to five

INGREDIENTS

• 2 nests of glass (mung bean) noodles

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp oil (vegetable, groundnut or coconut), plus extra for shallow frying

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 2 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce

• 1 tsp Chinese five spice

• 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper

• ½ tsp salt

• 225g firm tofu, cut into 5mm slices

• 10 rice paper rounds, 22cm in diameter

• ½ red pepper, thinly sliced into strips

• 1 carrot, thinly sliced into strips

• 3 spring onions, halved and thinly sliced into strips

• Small handful of beansprouts

• 1 round lettuce, leaves separated, washed and drained, to serve

For the sweet chilli vinegar dip

• 125ml water

• 125ml rice vinegar

• 50g sugar

• 4 tbsp honey (or use agave or maple syrup)

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• ½ tsp grated garlic

• 1 red bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped

• 1 tsp tomato ketchup

METHOD

1. Put the glass noodles into a large bowl, cover with boiling water and leave them to soak for three to five minutes. Once the noodles are soft, drain and set to one side.

2. To make the sweet chilli vinegar dip, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for three to five minutes until slightly reduced and sticky.

3. Place a wok over a medium-low heat. Add the sesame seeds and slowly toast for two to three minutes, until they have turned golden brown. Transfer them to a plate and allow to cool.

4. Put the oil, soy sauces, sriracha sauce, Chinese five spice, Sichuan pepper and salt into a large bowl and mix well to make a marinade.

5. Arrange the tofu slices on a shallow plate, then evenly coat the top of the tofu slices with the marinade, keeping some of it for later. Set to one side and leave for 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Lay the marinated tofu pieces on a baking tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the tofu over, cover with the remaining marinade and bake for a further 10 to 12 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, cut the tofu into 5mm strips.

8. To assemble the rolls, soak a rice paper round in warm water for 20 to 30 seconds. Shake off any excess water and lay flat on a clean work surface. Add strips of vegetables and tofu, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some glass noodles. Fold both sides over the filling, then roll up the rice paper to form a sausage shape.

9. Heat 250ml oil in a deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat. Carefully fry the rolls, turning them frequently so that they cook evenly, until golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper.

10. To eat, take a round lettuce leaf and place one crispy roll in the centre, wrapping the leaf snugly around the roll. Then dip!

Recipe from The Veggie Chinese Takeaway Cookbook by Kwoklyn Wan, published by Hardie Grant (£15). Order your copy from books.telegraph.co.uk