[This recipe is adapted from On a Stick, by Matt Armendariz.]

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 T. grapeseed oil (You can also use olive oil)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 1-2 T. lemongrass, minced
• 1 T. ginger root
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 cup textured vegetable or soy protein (TVP/TSP)* (Or use ground beef, chicken, etc. for non-vegan)
• 1 T. five-spice powder*
• 2 T. agave syrup
• 1-2 t. vegan fish sauce
• 6 large Swiss chard leaves
• 6 bamboo or metal skewers**

*Make sure you get TVP (TSP) that’s made only from soy, and only buy five-spice powder if you can read all the ingredients on the label. Some have salt and MSG in them.

**If you are using bamboo skewers, cover them in filtered water while you work.

Directions:

1. Wash the chard leaves, shake them dry, and prep them by cutting off the stem at the base of the leaf, then cut each side of the leaf off on either side of the rib. Aim for pieces that are about 3″ X 8″ in size.

2. Heat 1 cup of filtered water to nearly boiling. Pour over the TVP and let sit while you prep all the spices. (For non-vegan preparation, cook the ground meat in a saute pan over medium-high heat.)

3. Peel the garlic and shallot and remove the hard end. Mince into very fine pieces. Peel the outer skin off the ginger root and mince as well.

4. Remove any hard or papery leaves from the lemongrass, then pound with a mallet (I used the bottom of my ice cream scoop). This softens the fibers and brings out the flavor of the lemongrass. Mince the lemongrass into the smallest pieces you can.

5. Cut off the top of the jalapeno, slice it in half lengthwise, then remove the inner ribs and seeds. Mince finely.

6. Put 1 T. of grapeseed oil in a saute pan and heat on medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, lemongrass, and ginger and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add jalapeno, TVP (or meat), smoked paprika, five-spice powder, agave syrup, and vegan fish sauce, stirring to mix everything thoroughly. Cook about 5-7 minutes, until all the flavors have melded. Taste to see if it needs any additional seasoning.

7. Preheat grill pan or grill to medium-high and brush it with oil. Lay the chard leaves curly side up and place 2 T. of the mixture close to one end. Roll up tightly and set aside. Place four rolls next to each other and run a pair of skewers through them. Spray both sides of the bundle with cooking spray, and lay on the grill. Cook 5 minutes per side.

8. If serving as part of a meal, provide 3 rolls per person and serve with lime juice and shredded carrots. You can also cut them in half and serve with toothpicks, making 24 bites. If making these for a party, double the recipe, have them rolled and ready in the fridge, grill just as guests are arriving, then cut each in half and serve with toothpicks.