Cabbage Rolls with Chinese Sesame Sauce

In a large bowl, prepare the filling: crumble the block of tofu (1 block) then add the carrot (1 large), tofu skin (¼ cup), and wood ear mushroom (¼ cup).

Heat a large non-stick pan. Add oil. Sauté garlic (1 tsp), ginger (1 tsp), and scallions (2) until fragrant. Add in the rest of the filling. Lightly salt to help draw out moisture. Let this sauté until some moisture has been released and evaporated. Season with white pepper (½ tsp) and Yondu (2 Tbsp) or gluten-free soy sauce. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Prepare the Chinese sesame sauce. In a bowl, add sauce ingredients. Using hot water, dilute the sauce to your liking. Mix well. It should be thin enough to pour over but also have a creamy consistency. As it cools, it will slightly thicken.

Wrap cabbage rolls. Take a leaf and add about 2 tablespoons of filling to the cup of the leaf. Start rolling inward from the stem side, making sure to tuck in the sides, like rolling a burrito. Repeat for each leaf. Wrap each roll with a portion of the blanched scallions, and tie a knot at the top to hold everything together.

In a large non-stick pan, carefully lay each cabbage roll on the pan with the flap facing down. Once laid out, turn on heat and sear the rolls. Allow them to release a bit of excess moisture for about 1-2 minutes once heated. Then, add oil to the pan to get a golden brown sear on each roll. Flip and repeat on the other side.

Plate the cabbage rolls and serve with the creamy sesame sauce. Top with shiso furikake or black sesame seeds.

Enjoy immediately with a friend or two! <3 (If you have leftover filling, it’s delicious with some rice, or make another roll!)