Spring Rolls
Almost like a burrito, but not.
So I have a slight obsession with spring rolls, not the fried kind but the fresh variety. For a while I would get spring rolls from Out the Door at the Ferry Building for lunch frequently during the work week, then I got a new job and started going to Freshroll for lunch every day, then I got a different job and started going to Dragon Eats every day. Basically I can only work somewhere where there are spring rolls close by.
I never get sick of spring rolls, even if I eat the same ones every day. I had never thought of making them at home until a Vietnamese coworker started telling me how ridiculous it was to pay $10 for spring rolls when I could make them at home and then she bought me rice noodles and rice paper sheets. The rest was history. Not really, but now I make them at home often. The hardest part is preparing all of the ingredients, but there is hardly any cooking. Once you have rice noodles and rice paper sheets just pick your protein and toppings and you are set. Here is my recommendation:
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Pack rice paper sheets
A few handfuls of dry rice noodles (very thin vermicelli kind)
Lettuce (I like to use butter lettuce)
1 Cucumber
1 Jalapeño
1 Avocado
Cilantro
Mint
Sprouts
1 Pineapple/Mango (if you like something sweet)
1 block firm Tofu
For peanut sauce:
Juice from 2 to 3 Limes
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy or tamari
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
Chili paste to taste
*adjust ingredients to taste
Pre-heat oven to 350. Cook rice noodles in boiling water for 8 minutes, then drain and cool with cold water, set aside. Cut tofu in strips, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper then bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes depending on if you like it soft or crispier (flip the slices half way through). Prepare other ingredients; slice cucumber and jalapeño thinly, pull stems off cilantro, chop up mint, peel and slice avocado, cut pineapple/mango into strips. Wash lettuce.
For the dipping sauce, start with peanut butter, lime juice, and hoisin sauce and whisk together. Add in soy or tamari and rice vinegar. Once everything is mixed together add in chili paste to taste. If dipping sauce is too thick add more soy/tamari or lime. Adjust quantities to taste.
Assembly: run rice paper under warm water (sink is fine) and put onto a plastic cutting board or mat. Super thin plastic mats work well. The rice paper will stick to a wood cutting board. Run your hand over the rice paper and wipe off the excess water. You are now ready to assemble your spring roll. Start with the lettuce, then put the rice noodles on top of the lettuce along with everything else. Remember you are going to have to roll these up like a burrito so don’t pack too many toppings into each spring roll. Roll it up like a burrito, dip it into the peanut sauce and Sriracha if you’re into it, then take your first bite. Warning: this will probably be the best spring rolls you have ever eaten.
