Crispy Tofu Rolls with Prawns and Asparagus

Method

1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in hot water overnight or for at least 2 hours, then drain.
2. Top and tail the green beans, then finely chop with the garlic, spring onion (scallion) and mushrooms. Finely chop the 200g prawns for the minced filing, and the white fish, or, mince in a food processor. Place all these in a large mixing bowl and mix in the marinade ingredients until evenly combined.
3. Butterfly the 12 whole prawns, then score horizontally 5 or 6 times across each prawn to flatten them. Halve the asparagus stalks lengthways, then cut them into 2–3cm pieces. Have the beaten egg and a brush ready.
4. Now you are ready for rolling! Place a sheet of tofu skin on a large chopping board, squarely aligned to you, and start to line up the separate tofu rolls as follows. You’ll want the skin to be about 20–24cm long, so feel free to cut it if there is more than this.
5. Starting on the far left-hand side, place 1 tablespoon of filling 1cm from both the bottom and side edge of the tofu skin. Continuing in a horizontal line and leaving roughly 1–2cm between the mounds of filling, line up another 4–5 tablespoons of filling, moving across the tofu skin until you reach the far edge.
6. Place a butterflied prawn horizontally on top of each mound of filling, and place 2 pieces of asparagus horizontally on either side of the butterflied prawn.
7. Brush the naked tofu skin generously with the beaten egg, including in between the mounds of filling. This will help to ensure the tofu rolls stick together well.
8. Now, from the bottom up, fold the tofu skin and the mounds of mixture tightly once over, similar to rolling up a spring roll, covering the filling completely. Press the top of the tofu skin firmly in between the mounds of filling to stick the skin together, creating individual rolls in the process. Roll the entire long row of tofu skin over itself, brush with eggwash, then repeat, until you have come to the end of the sheet.
9. Lastly, with the tip of a sharp knife or cleaver, cut in between each mound of filling where the tofu skin should be stuck together in layers, creating individual rolls. Repeat with the rest of the tofu skin and filling. It’s OK if the sides of the rolls are slightly open – the rustic finish of this dish is part of its appeal.
10. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a medium heat in a large frying pan. Once hot, place the individual tofu rolls in the frying pan and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Mix together the dipping sauce ingredients and serve with the rolls.