Braised Vegetarian 'Chicken' Rolls
Layers of tofu skin rolled up, braised, and sliced — a traditional vegetarian cold dish with rich texture and a satisfying chew.
🧺 Ingredients
- Tofu skin6 sheets
- Light soy sauce30ml
- Star anise2 pods
- Cinnamon bark1 small piece
- Rock sugar10g
- Ginger slices3
- Sesame oil5ml
👩🍳 Steps
- 1Brush each sheet of tofu skin with a thin layer of soy sauce.
- 2Stack the sheets and roll tightly into a cylinder, then tie securely with kitchen string.
- 3Add water to a pot along with the star anise, cinnamon bark, ginger, and rock sugar, and bring to a boil.
- 4Add the tofu skin roll and braise over low heat for 25 minutes.
- 5Turn off the heat and let the roll steep in the braising liquid as it cools, to absorb more flavor.
- 6Remove, untie the string, slice, and brush with sesame oil before serving.
📊 Nutrition
| Protein | 18g |
| Iron | 2.9mg |
| Calcium | 110mg |
| Fiber | 3g |
Introduction
Sheets of tofu skin are brushed one by one with a seasoned sauce, stacked, and rolled up tightly, then tied with kitchen string to hold their shape before simmering slowly in a spiced braising liquid until well infused with flavor. Once cooled and sliced, the rolls reveal distinct, even layers, with a firm, chewy bite — a true classic among the traditional cold vegetarian dishes of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region. Making these rolls takes some patience — handling the tofu skin and tying it into shape — but the finished rolls keep in the refrigerator for several days and are ready to eat sliced straight from the fridge, which is why they show up so often in home-stocked holiday spreads and on the cold-dish platters at vegetarian restaurants.
Nutrition Highlights
- Tofu skin is a concentrated form of soy protein, with a higher protein content than regular tofu
- Star anise, cinnamon bark, and other spices used in braising add complex aromas while adding almost no extra fat
- Serving it sliced makes portion control easy, whether as a side dish or part of a dinner-party platter
- Chilling the rolls firms them up and deepens the flavor, making them an excellent protein option for meal prep
Tips
- Brush each layer of tofu skin with just a thin coat of the seasoned sauce — too wet and the roll won't hold its shape as well
- Make sure to tie the rolled tofu skin securely with kitchen string, or it will come apart during braising
- Let the braised rolls cool completely before slicing — cutting them while still warm can cause them to fall apart, while cooling lets the layers set into clean, attractive lines
