1. Start with the preparation of the tofu. Take it out of the package and place it on a plate in between several layers of kitchen paper. Place a heavy object on top and let it sit like that for about 5 minutes to get rid of some excess liquid. Cut the tofu into slices and those slices into sticks – pretty much like French fries. Place the tofu sticks in a bowl, add the cornstarch and mix to coat the tofu with the starch.

2. Heat up a non-stick frying pan with a little sesame oil. Fry the tofu until crispy all around – this takes about 4-6 minutes. Add the soy sauce and toss the crispy tofu in it briefly. As soon as the soy sauce is gone, remove from the heat and let cool down.

2. Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the package – mine needed to boil for 3 minutes and then briefly steep in the hot water before being rinsed with cold water.

4. Prepare the veggies. Cut the carrot into fine sticks (julienne), as well as the cucumber. You might want to remove the watery parts of the cucumber first. Remove the seeds inside the bell pepper and cut into very thin strips. Wash and dry the lettuce and tear it into smaller pieces if necessary.

5. Soak the rice paper sheets one by one briefly in some water, then place them on a clean work surface and fill them. To do this, first place two mint leaves on the rice paper, add some rice noodles on top, some veggie sticks (carrot, cucumber, bell pepper), some lettuce, cilantro leaves, and finally some of the crispy tofu sticks. Fold the sides of the rice paper over the filling and roll up to get a compact roll. Place the summer rolls on a large plate. Make sure they don’t touch each other, or they will stick together ;P

6. For the peanut dipping sauce, mix water, peanut butter, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Warm briefly in the microwave so the liquids and peanut butter are easier to combine. Stir to get a smooth sauce and season with Crispy Chili Oil, freshly pressed garlic, and freshly grated ginger. Add some chopped peanuts as well if you like. Serve the summer rolls with dipping sauce and enjoy!