These are Turkish fried feta rolls aka sigara börek which gets its name because they’ve been rolled up like cigars. These were an absolute fav of mine growing up so I wanted to create them (with a bit of a twist) traditionally these are made with filo pastry and a feta cheese so you could certainly try this with some of your favourite vegan cheese. I wanted to use a tofu base and instead of filo pastry I used thin rice wraps so if you have any trouble finding a vegan filo pastry where you're located, look for some wraps that are really thin.
Rice wraps are also gluten free so this will be a great option for any GF friends out there. Brush the melted butter onto the wrap generously to keep it sealed before gently placing it into the oil, but be careful as the oil will be hot!
These make great party food :)
RECIPE:
250g firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp nutritional yeast / Vegan parmesan
1/4 tsp salt & pepper
200g baby spinach, chopped
8 Rice wraps, cut into triangles
Melted butter for brushing
Vegetable oil for frying
1️ In a large bowl, mix together the crumbled tofu, garlic powder, nutritional yeast salt and pepper.
2️ Add the chopped spinach and mix.
3️ Cut the rice wraps in half to make two rectangles, and those in half corner to corner to make long triangles.
4️ Spoon some of the tofu mixture onto the rice wrap at the thick end. Roll the ends inward and roll up to form a cigar, when you get to the end brush the wrap with melted butter and continue rolling. Repeat and set them aside.
5️ Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan (about 4 to 5 cm is enough) you want to get to about 180°C or when a wooden skewer is inserted it starts to bubble. Gently place a few of the rolls into the oil, not too many to crowd, about 5 or 6.
6️ Cook for a few minutes until golden brown. Remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Once all are cooked you can serve them warm with your favourite dipping sauce.