Ingredients
1 pound firm tofu, drained and halved crosswise
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for frying
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 bunch scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), plus greens for serving
2 celery stalks, finely diced (1 cup)
1 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts (2 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1 large egg yolk
35 fresh or frozen spring roll wrappers (each about 8 inches)
Vinegar-Garlic Dipping Sauce
Preparation
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Arrange tofu in a single layer on sheet, and top with another double layer of paper towels. Place a baking sheet or a baking dish on top, and weight with heavy cans. Let stand until tofu has released excess liquid, at least 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour). Cut tofu into 1/4-inch dice.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, scallions, and celery, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high. Add tofu and shrimp, and cook, stirring, until shrimp are pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool. Stir bean sprouts into cooled shrimp mixture.
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap, allowing a 1-inch overhang. Whisk egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Lay a wrapper on a clean work surface in a diamond shape, with one corner facing you. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp kitchen towel.) Arrange 2 tablespoons filling in a horizontal mound about 3 inches from bottom corner of wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in sides halfway. Starting at the bottom, roll up wrapper to form a tight cylinder. Brush top corner with egg wash, and press to seal. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Add enough oil to a large skillet to come 1/2 inch up the sides. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches of 3 or 4, add spring rolls, seam side down, and fry, turning often, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
