Rice Paper Rolls

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1. 1Step 1: In a large flat-bottomed dish (one large enough to fit all your tofu slices) whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
2. 2Step 2: Slice your firm tofu into slices. Lie the tofu slices in the marinade.
3. 3Step 3: Flip the tofu over so that both sides are coated, and leave to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes (this can be longer if you want to meal prep earlier in the day or the day before).
4. 4Step 4: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).
5. 5Step 5: Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes turning once (at the halfway mark) during cooking.
6. 6Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
7. 7Step 7: Prepare the vegetables by slicing them into long thin batons or using the noodle-making blade on your food processor. Make sure you have the vegetables and tofu laid out in a way that makes them easy to reach. Essentially you want to make a little rice paper roll-making station.
8. 8Step 8: Fill a large bowl or casserole dish with room temperature water.
9. 9Step 9: You will be making the rice papers one at a time, but it's quite fast once you get in the zone and if you have all the filling ingredients prepped.
10. 10Step 10: Feel your rice paper, it will have a textured side and a smooth side (take note of which is which). Soak the rice paper in the water until you feel it soften. (around 30 seconds, but this will depend on the rice paper brand and the warmth of your water). I double up on rice paper using, two for each roll I make.
11. 11Step 11: Lift the softened rice paper out of the water and lay it smooth side down on your work surface. (I do it straight on a clean kitchen bench).
12. 12Step 12: Lay the vegetables, then tofu, and then herbs on the softened rice paper so that they sit in the first third of the paper with a clear margin on either side.
13. 13Step 13: Fold the two sides of the rice paper towards the centre (to close off the ends), and then roll your rice paper roll stretching the rice paper gently so that the roll is nice and tight.
14. 14Step 14: Set the roll aside, I like to cover the rolls with a damp piece of paper kitchen towel or a clean damp cloth to stop them from drying out. And move on to making the next roll.
15. 15Step 15: If I am serving these to a crowd of people I like to cut them in half so the vegetable filling looks colourful and inviting and serve them with a satay dipping sauce. If I am sending them in a lunch box I don't always slice them in half.