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Tofu Skin Rolls in Sweet Chili Sauce- 2 rolls in a ceramic bowl,covered with chili sauce

Dim Sum Style Tofu Skin Rolls

Tofu Skin, known as Yuba in Japan, are thin and delicate sheets of tofu made from soy milk.  Yuba can be eaten raw, served in soup, deep fried, or steamed.  These delicious tofu skin rolls are filled with meat and vegetables and steamed in sweet homemade chili sauce.

Dim Sum Style Tofu Skin Rolls are one of my favorite dishes to prepare. It takes a little work, but the sweet and savory taste of these rolled up treats makes it well worth the effort. Dim Sum, is known as yamucha (飲茶) in Japan. Yamucha has Chinese origins, and as with many types of Chinese cuisine, it’s been imported into Japan and been adapted to Japanese taste.

The Japanese have a love of tofu, which is made from soybeans and finds into way into many different recipes.  One unusual way to prepare soybeans is to make Tofu skin from soy milk.  Tofu skin, or Yuba (湯葉), translates to “hot water leaves”, and it’s made from soy milk.  When soy milk is boiled, a layer of foam coagulates on the top.  This layer, which forms a thin sheet, is gently lifted off and set aside to dry.  Yuba can be eaten fresh, frozen, or dried out.  Because yuba is so soft and malleable it can be cut and formed into many shapes before freezing or drying and because of this it is often sold as a high end artisan food that can be added to miso soup or rehydrated and added to salads or stir fries.  Yuba has a light taste that complements meats, vegetables and sauces without overpowering them.

Foy my Dim Sum Style Tofu Skin Rolls, I start with dried yuba sheets that can be purchased at Asian grocery stores.  I soak the dried sheets one at a time in water, and leave them in the water until rest for use.  The filling is a typical egg roll filling that uses roast pork, cabbage, bean sprouts and other fresh vegetables.  The filling also uses typical Japanese flavorings including ginger, soy sauce, mirin and cooking sake.  After preparing the filling I roll it up in the yuba and usually use two to three layers to ensure it doesn’t rip while rolling.

The entire roll (or two rolls) is then put in a small bowl and topped with a homemade sauce made up of honey, soy sauce, chili oil and water.  I then steam the Tofu skin roll in the bowl and serve hot.

Although there are quite a few steps to making this dish, the taste is delicious and the presentation always exquisite.  Give it a try for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Dim Sum Style Tofu Skin Rolls

For this recipe, use dehydrated tofu skins and soak them in water just before rolling up the filling.  Each sheet can take a few minutes to rehydrate, and you want to use two or three sheets for each roll, so be sure to allow at least 5 – 10 minutes to prepare the skins for each roll. After preparing the filling you need to refrigerate and cool the filling to room temperature, so that will allow you ample time to get the skins ready.

The filling and the yuba are completely cooked when the rolls go in the steamer – the purpose of steaming is to heat the roll completely through and to further moisten the skin.  Steaming in the sauce helps cook the sauce into the yuba which adds extra flavor to the dish.

PREP COOKING YIELD
1 hour 20 minutes Makes 4 rolls
PREP 1 hour
COOKING 20 minutes
YIELD Makes 4 rolls
Tofu Skin Rolls in Sweet Chili Sauce- 2 rolls in a ceramic bowl,covered with chili sauce

Ingredients:

  • 8-12 Yuba sheets, dehydrated
  • 100g cooked roast pork
  • 1/4 lb shredded cabbage
  • 1/4 lb mung beans
  • 2 Shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup shredded bamboo chutes
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions
  • 2 TBSPS fresh ginger
  • 1 TBSP soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP cooking sake
  • 2 TBSP Mirin
  • 1 tsp sugar

Steamed Tofu Skin Roll Ingredients on a tablecloth

Sauce

  • 1 TBSP Honey
  • 1 TBSP Chili Oil
  • 1 TBSP Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Hot Water

Sweet Chili Sauce ingredients in glass bowls

Instructions:

  • If using dehydrated yuba, soak each shed in water for 5 minutes until moist and soft.  You can store in a bowl of water until ready for use.
  • Mix up the ingredients for the sauce and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Grate up the ginger.
  • Wash the shiitake mushrooms and remove and discard the stems.
  • Cut the pork, bamboo chutes, and mushroom into thin strips.

Mushroom, Bamboo and pork cut in thin strips

  • Heat the soy sauce, mirin, and sake in a skillet over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Stir in the scallions and grated ginger and heat for another 2 minutes while stirring.
  • Stir in the cabbage and heat with the sauce for 3 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in the mung beans and heat for 2 more minutes until all of the ingredients are well combined.
  • Stir in the bamboo, pork and mushroom.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Yuba roll filling In a fry pan

  • Remove from heat and refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes until cooled to room temperature.
  • Drain mixture and stir before using.
  • Lay out some plastic wrap over a large cutting board.
  • Place two pieces of yuba on the plastic wrap.  Yuba is very thin and fragile, so you will need a double layer.
  • Spoon out some of the mixture onto the yuba and roll up lengthwise.

Rolled up yuba On plastic wrap

  • Fold the sides over and place the roll in a bowl.  Repeat and add a second roll.

Two yuba rolls in a wooden bowl

  • Spoon the sauce generously over the rolls.

Yuba rolls with sauce being spread over the top in a wooden bowl

  • Place in a steamer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the steamer and serve hot.

Steamed Yuya rolls served in a wooden bowl and topped with sweet chili sauce

Notes:

  • Be sure to allow time for the filling to cool before rolling up in the yuba.  Keep the yuba submerged in water until ready for use.
  • Use a bowl that fits in your steamer.  It will be very hot when removing from the steamer so use an oven glove or a large spatula to remove from the steamer.
  • Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days.  Reheat by steaming again, or by microwaving.

 

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