Cabbage Nori Rolls

Here's a recipe that proved to me that my daughter will eat anything wrapped in nori with baked tofu. Though the friend she invited to eat with us didn't care for them (she's not a fan of sushi either), E. couldn't get enough of these. She must have eaten 12 of them by herself. If she's eating cabbage, I'm a happy mom.

I don't follow a low-carb diet, but those who do will find these a good alternative to sushi. They're light but surprisingly filling.

Cabbage Nori Rolls
(serves about 4 as a side dish)

1/2 head Napa or Chinese cabbage
1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
6-8 ounces baked tofu, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
baby corn
4-5 sheets toasted nori
pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi, for serving

Cut the cabbage into half lengthwise. Cut each half into 4 wedges lengthwise. Place them a steamer basket with the carrots and steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Once the cabbage has cooled, dry it thoroughly by placing it on a kitchen towel or sushi mat covered with paper towels. Roll up in the towel or mat, squeezing lightly to remove excess moisture. Remove any thick, tough pieces and set them aside.

Place a piece of nori on the sushi mat, and have a small bowl of water nearby. Lay a thin layer of cabbage starting about one inch from the bottom and stopping 2 inches from the top. Be sure the cabbage stretches to the side edges. Near the bottom end, lay a strip of tofu, carrots, and baby corn or any combination of the three.

Lift the mat at the edge closest to you and bring the bottom edge of the nori over the tofu and other fillings. Roll forward to tightly wrap the nori around the fillings. As you approach the far edge, dip your fingers into the bowl of water and use them to moisten the top inch. (This will help the nori to seal.) Complete the roll. Place it seam-side down on a cutting board. Repeat with remaining cabbage, and cut rolls into 6-8 pieces with a sharp knife. Serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi.

Credit for this idea goes to Vegetarian Asian, a book that's full of gorgeous photos and has some interesting ideas, but its writing is lacking (ingredients are listed but never used, recipes lack sufficient explanation.) It's essentially a slim coffee table book with recipes, but it's worth more than the $2 I paid for it just for some of the ideas.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free low-carb