Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce {Video}

Three years ago, I ordered fresh veggie spring rolls (also called summer rolls) at a Granville Island Farmer’s Market in British Columbia and my life was forever changed. OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but really – they rocked my world. How can something as simple as fresh spring rolls taste so good? It’s just some raw veggies and mung bean vermicelli noodles wrapped in rice paper. Of course, there’s also the delicious dipping sauce, which really is the showstopper of this recipe. It’s good! I mean, really good.

When I lived in Vancouver, I would order these veggie spring rolls at least twice a week for lunch from the most amazing food stand in Granville Island. Note to you, if you are ever in Vancouver, going to Granville Island market is a must. Not just for the spring roll stand but the market in general. You could spend a whole day there … easily. As the locals themselves would point out, the market is a jewel in the Island’s crown.

Tips for Making Fresh Spring Rolls

Ingredients

Since rice paper is what holds spring rolls together, it’s essential that you chose the right one. Rice paper comes in various shapes and sizes and so do spring rolls. The most widely available rice paper comes in an 8 1/2″ (21.5 cm) circle. It’s the easiest to manipulate, and most recipes use that size. Smaller circles and triangles are more difficult to work with; larger circles are meant for long rolls that are usually cut up into smaller pieces. Though rice paper thickness varies as well, the difference isn’t very significant. As far as the ingredients go, rice paper should only contain rice, water, and salt. That’s it. Avoid super thin all-tapioca starch paper. It lacks flavor, tears easily and becomes limp quickly.

I like to fill my spring rolls with a lot of vegetables – including lettuce, bell peppers, carrots, and avocados – various herbs, and bean vermicelli.

Technique

You’ll need to work quickly so have all the ingredients for spring rolls ready. This includes washed and julienned vegetables, chopped lettuce and herbs, and cooked vermicelli. If you prefer less filling spring rolls, you can use more vegetables instead of the noodles. The noodles are essentially just a filler to add body to the spring rolls. So as long as you use something else in their place, you’ll be fine.

Working with rice paper can be tricky at first. So, don’t get discouraged if the first couple wrappers rip or the finished rolls are a little lumpy. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be churning them out by the dozen. Here are a few tricks for working with rice paper:

• Rice paper is delicate and only needs a quick dip in water to soften and become pliable. Do not soak the rice paper for too long because it will stick and tear, making the rolling impossible. I usually fill a wide shallow bowl with warm water and dip the rice paper for about 3-5 seconds (the thicker the rice paper, the warmer the water needs to be). The rice paper should come out still slightly firm because it will continue to absorb water as you lay the filling ingredients on top of it.
• After dipping, put the rice paper on a damp towel or a wet cutting board (if you put the softened rice paper on a dry surface, it will stick).
• If you’re using circle rice paper, start laying ingredients at top 1/3 to have enough room for rolling. The more rotations of rice paper you have, the thicker and stronger the roll becomes. I would recommend laying the noodles or lettuce on the rice paper first to avoid any sharp veggies to tear the soft rice paper. Then add all the other ingredients. Just be careful not to over-stuff the roll or it might burst. When you’re ready to roll, bring the top edge up and over the filling, then fold in the two side flaps, and then roll the entire thing up. Keep tucking all the ingredients together as you roll. You want to end up with a tight and straight spring roll.
• To store the rolls, wrap each finished roll in plastic cling wrap to prevent the roll from drying out. Make sure you wrap each roll individually, so they don’t stick together. If they stick, the rice paper will tear when you try to separate them. You can also wrap the rolls in a moistened paper towel, but just keep in mind that as soon as your paper towel dries out, it will stick to the rolls.

Tools You’ll Need

1. Mixing Bowls (Set of 3, Pyrex, Glass) | 2. Knife Set (6 Pieces, Utopia, Stainless Steel) | 3. Cutting Board (24″x 18″, Michigan Maple Block, Maple) | 4. Mesh Strainers (Set of 3, Cuisinart, Stainless Steel) | 5. Measuring Cups (Set of 6, Stainless Steel) | 6. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel) 

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