RECIPE: Crispy Vegan Yuba Rolls

Japanese people have taken the simple soybean and perfected many prized foods like miso, soy sauce, and tofu! These are all internationally recognizable and enjoyed in all corners of the world. But of all the Japanese soybean products, yuba may be one of the biggest hidden gems!

Yuba is made of tofu skins, which are best described as the top skimmings of boiled soy milk. As soy milk is boiled, a top film of light tofu is formed and this is known as yuba. Yuba has a unique texture that is delicate, layered, and almost buttery. Its unique texture is a joy to experience and it has a fresh, creamy taste.

It has a wonderful source of protein and is increasingly becoming a favorite ingredient for vegetarians and vegans. It is versatile and can be used for many fun recipes like these crispy vegan yuba rolls!

This is the perfect recipe for packing in healthy proteins and vegetables. Here, yuba is used similarly to egg roll or rice paper to roll up a combination of your favorite vegetables. Yuba is a lighter, more protein-filled wrap to use as an alternative! The bonus is that this recipe can be made completely vegan.

For a Japanese flair, this recipe utilizes famous ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, vegan dashi, and soy sauce. There are other Japanese ingredients you may be less familiar with, like moromi. This moromi is a fermented paste made of rich ingredients like barley, soy sauce, eggplant, and radish. The paste will give your fillings a deep umami flavor and will add a grounding taste.

To round out the filling, we recommend adding kuzukiri noodles! These noodles are unique because they are made from potato starch and kudzu, a vine native to Japan. The soft texture will give the rolls a hearty chewy to enjoy!

Don’t forget to fry these rolls up in sesame oil for the satisfying crunch and is sure to hit the spot for any cravings!

Servings: 6 pieces

Ingredients

• 1/2 + 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 50g shiitake mushrooms, diced
• 25g carrots, diced
• 25g bamboo shoot, diced
• 50g bean sprouts
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 tbsp moromi (fermented paste)*
• 10g kuzukiri (kudzu noodles)*
• 1 pack of yuba (tofu skins)*

Ingredients for the Dashi Sauce:

• 150 ml water
• 1 tsp vegan dashi*
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• Potato starch slurry  (1 tbsp water + 1/2 tbsp potato starch) 

* Available in our Vegan Shojin Ryori: "Zen" Care Package 

Instructions

Make the filling

1. Heat 1/2 tbsp sesame oil in a pan, and cook the diced carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoot and ginger for 3 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and cook for 2 more minutes.
2. Turn off heat, and add the Hishio Moromi and Kudzu noodles. (Cook the noodles according to package and cut into bite size pieces before adding)

Wrap in Yuba

1. Cut the Yuba in half, widthwise, and rehydrate according to package. Add the filling in the middle and wrap it up, like you would a regular spring roll.
2. Heat 1/2 tbsp sesame oil in a frying pan and cook the Yuba rolls until slightly browned, 1~2 minutes on each side.

Make the Dashi sauce and Serve

1. Add all the ingredients for the Dashi sauce in a sauce pan and heat on medium low for 1~2 minutes, until it thickens.
2. Pour the sauce over the Yuba rolls, or use it as a dipping sauce. Serve while warm. 

Introduction courtesy of Kimberlee Laney

As a Japanese-Korean-American, my love for Japanese food first came from my grandmother's kitchen! Japanese food feels like home and I love being able to cook it anywhere in the world to connect with Japan in my own little way. I love diving deep into the layers of Japanese food and always marvel at the food diversity between prefectures. I'm currently eating my way through Tokyo and taking up photography with my Instagram account @capturingkim!