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Recipe: Spring Rolls

9/11/2013

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homemade spring rolls
Try this fun and easy recipe for a twist on family mealtime. Prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and allow everyone to roll up their own spring rolls with their ingredients of choice. You can find the rice paper at any Asian grocery store and at a lot of mainstream/big-box groceries these days. With easy-to-make vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free substitutions, you can't go wrong! This one is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients:
  2 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
  1/4 pound firm tofu, cut into strips OR other meat of choice
  2 tablespoons peanut sauce
  2 large carrots, peeled and grated
  6 shitake mushrooms, cut in thin slices w/ stems removed
  1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, chopped, plus additional sprigs
  1/3 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus additional leaves
  1/4 cup Thai basil leaves, coarsely chopped, (may substitute regular basil)
  Salt to taste
  8 to 10 inner romaine lettuce leaves, cut in strips
  8 8 1/2-inch rice flour spring roll wrappers (Tip: Stack the rice paper wrappers you're going to use alternating them with damp paper towels so they can start soaking while you prep)
  1 avocado, sliced (fresh mango or apple can be nice options as well)

wrap a spring rollArrange ingredients in center of wrapper
Directions: You'll need to cook up the tofu or meat of choice, and get everything sliced and ready to go. (If you haven't already stacked the rice paper in damp paper towels, you'll need a bowl of water for everyone to wet their fingers and dampen the rice paper by hand.) Put everything in the middle of the dinner table and let everyone get rolling! Just dip fingers in the bowl of water and rub them around the rice paper until it is soft like a tortilla. Have everyone take one of the rice paper sheets and, when soft, pile a little of whatever ingredients they want lined up in the same direction in the center of the wrapper. Roll it up like a burrito!

Voila! Now you're ready to eat. Just dip in the sauce of your choice (we suggest peanut sauce - yum!) and enjoy! You could also just put the sauce into the roll before you wrapped it up.  These rolls go great with miso soup! And this recipe is great for younger kids as well because other than the meat (alternative) products, there's no cooking required. Just be warned that leftovers will not store well. Some people say they're fine in the fridge after a couple hours or the next day but we don't like them as the rice paper hardens. So, we suggest just making enough for the one mealtime.

Michelle Says:

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I don’t use this recipe that often but when I do make it I always want more! The ingredients aren't expensive or hard to find which makes this recipe a win in my mind! Plus it’s a fun idea to do at a sleepover party since you can leave all the ingredients out and everyone can pick and choose what they want. This is a blast to roll together with a large group of people! However, these may not be the best-date night recipe since they are a little bit challenging to eat without getting it everywhere! As it is quick to prepare and quite filling,  a delightful family and friends dinner night is always recommend with this recipe.

Christine Says:

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I absolutely love this recipe and it is one of my standard go-to options. The ingredients and prep work are simple. Plus, I use a lot of the ingredients in other dishes like miso soup, salads and stir-fries so it's convenient enough even though the rolls themselves don't keep well. To roll all of them yourself can be quite tedious so definitely make it a roll-your-own kind of night if you have more than two people to feed! This is one of those rare recipes that pleases adults and kids alike in my experience!


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