As I was creating an Asian-themed menu for a virtual cooking class, I distinctly remembered the fresh spring rolls that I discovered during culinary school. Of course, I have always known spring rolls. I would see them around Vietnamese restaurants paired with a warm bowl of Pho. However, I never really appreciated them until I made one myself.
Seeing my clients have the same new experience of rolling their own spring rolls put a smile on my face. Something about conquering the small obstacle of successfully getting the sticky rice paper tucked around fresh veggies is extremely satisfying.
I decided to make them again with my dad the following week. If you know me, you know that my dad is purely carnivorous. Though he will try my vegan creations, I allowed him to stuff his spring rolls with fresh shrimp. The great thing about spring rolls are that they are customizable. Avocado, mint, and tofu also taste great among the vegetables I used in my recipe. Also, I used 22-centimeter rice paper for my rolls. They turned out to be cute, tiny, and great for a snack or appetizer. Feel free to buy larger rice paper. The larger the paper, the easier it is to roll. You can find larger rice paper here.
I paired the spring rolls with a tangy peanut sauce. Every ingredient I used for the sauce is a staple in my pantry. This made for an effortless and tasty creation. If you love Asian flavors, I suggest you always have these ingredients on hand:
Ingredients:
A handful of picked cilantro, minced
Butter lettuce, shredded
1/2 Red onion, small dice
1 Red pepper, julienne
1 Jalapeno, julienne
3 Green onions, finely sliced
1 Cucumber, julienne
Rice paper
Peanut Sauce:
1/3c Crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tsp.. Minced ginger
1 Tsp. Minced garlic
2 Tbsp. Sesame oil
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. Sriracha
Instructions:
Wash and cut all of your vegetables. Dip each rice paper in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 seconds. place cut veggies on the top 1/3 of the damp rice paper with some room on the top to roll. Tightly roll the rice paper and tuck the sides in like an envelope. Keep cool in the fridge. For the peanut sauce, Mix together all the ingredients with a whisk. Serve sauce at room temperature with the spring rolls.
The best way to make these tiny spring rolls is with a group. Make them with your family, friends, or anyone you are social-distancing with. Enjoy!
Watch a video on how to make these tiny spring rolls here.