Light, fresh and green!
In my family, I’m responsible for the dinner once a week. I’m not a very good cook, so I often choose to make Vietnamese summer rolls – why? They are delicious, green, and I can’t really be held accountable if it doesn’t really look or taste good because each person customises and makes their own roll. That also means that you can choose all kinds of different fillings!
INGREDIENTS
Rice paper (this is not optional, but the most important part)
Cucumber
Different kinds of cabbage – red cabbage looks nice!
Red or orange bell pepper
Avocado
Sugar snaps
Carrots
Courgette
Peanuts
Sriracha sauce
Mayonnaise (there are egg-free kinds, too!)
Soy sauce
PREPARATION
Start cutting the bell pepper, carrots, courgette and cucumber into thin “sticks”, slice the avocado in thin pieces and chop the sugar snaps, cabbage and peanuts to small pieces. We normally put the different ingredients in separate bowls or arrange them separately on plates.
The soy, sriracha sauce and mayonnaise are meant for dipping or spreading. Put mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix with sriracha after your taste, depending on how spicy you want it and… tada! Chili mayo!
Okay, you then find plate or dish big enough for the rice paper to fit in without bending, and fill it with lukewarm water.
And now you are ready!
Each person takes a piece of rice paper, dip it in the water so it is covered for 2-3 seconds and then put it on your plate. Next, spread some chili mayo on it and continue making a small pile of your own choice of vegetables at one side of the paper.
And now to the tricky part; Carefully take rice paper in the side where you piled your fillings and try to roll it over it, without breaking the fragile paper. You use your fingers to keep the fillings inside while rolling it. You then fold in the ends and keep rolling. The rice paper gets sticky when wet, so it should stay closed and all your nice fillings sealed.
And then you should end up having a fine little roll, which you can dip in soy sauce and chopped peanuts – yummy!
BEWARE: You might not look super elegant while folding or eating these…
