How to make summer rolls

Fresh herbs give summer rolls a burst of flavor.

The fresh Vietnamese or Thai summer roll takes its inspiration from the Chinese spring roll, which has been served for centuries during Chinese New Year celebrations. In the Vietnamese and Thai varieties, a light rice-flour wrapper typically contains raw vegetables and fresh herbs, rice noodles and tofu or shrimp. You can use your imagination, though, and fill the delicate rolls with any combination of ingredients. Just be sure to use the freshest produce you can find. Summer rolls will work as an appetizer or as a light main dish.

Things You'll Need

• Wok or large skillet
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• 20-oz. package firm water-packed tofu, cut into 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch strips
• Medium pot of water
• 3 1/2-oz. package bean thread noodles (a.k.a. stick or cellophane)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• Large cutting board
• 7 cereal or small serving bowls
• 1/2 head of butter or Boston lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed, dried and torn into 6-inch strips
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 10 green onion stalks, cut into thin 6-inch strips
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into pencil-thick 6-inch strips
• 1/2 lb. bean sprouts
• 24 mint leaves
• 36 cilantro leaves
• Small pot of water
• Shallow dish (9+ inch diameter)
• 12 spring roll wrappers (8 1/2 inches in diameter)
• Serving tray

Instructions

1. Heat the sesame seed oil in a wok over medium-high heat, then fry the tofu until it's golden brown on all sides. Drain the tofu cubes and set them aside to cool.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and turn off the heat, leaving them to soften for 8 to 10 minutes or as specified on the package. Drain the noodles and toss them in rice vinegar. Set them aside to cool.

3. Set your cutting board in a large work area. Put the vegetables in separate bowls and arrange them in a semicircle around your cutting board.

4. Heat a pan of water on the stove over medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling. If you cannot comfortably touch the water, wait for it to cool a bit until you can safely dip a finger. Pour a portion into the shallow dish and put it near your work area.

5. Submerge one wrapper into the warm water for about five seconds or until it softens and then place it on your cutting board, being careful to keep it from folding and sticking together.

6. Gather 1/12 of the tofu, lettuce, carrot, green onion, cucumber and bean sprouts into a bundle and place it slightly off-center in the middle of the wrapper, leaving one inch of space on either side. Add 2 tbsp. of noodles to the mound, and top it with 2 mint leaves and 3 cilantro leaves.

7. Fold the wrapper from the end closest to you over and around the filling, holding it tightly but carefully in place to avoid tearing the wrapper.

8. Fold the two sides in to keep the ingredients from slipping out and then finish rolling the bundle away from you, gathering it tightly.

9. Cut the roll in half on the diagonal and place the two pieces close but not touching on the serving dish with the wrapper edge down.

10. Repeat until all 12 rolls are done. Cover the first layer of finished rolls with wax paper or a wet paper towel before adding another layer, if you need to stack them. This keeps them moist and prevents them from sticking together.

Tips & Warnings

• Most grocery stores will carry all of the ingredients you need; look for the noodles and wrappers in the Asian or ethnic food aisle.

• Experiment with the first couple of rolls to achieve the right moisture level for the wrappers--too dry and the rolls don't bind but too wet and they become sticky and tear.

• Use cooked shrimp instead of tofu, or make half shrimp/half tofu summer rolls.

• Buy or make peanut sauce as a dip for your rolls.

• When placing the rolls on the dish, leave enough space between them so they do not touch or they will stick to each other and tear.

• Summer rolls don't keep well. Ideally, serve them the day you prepare them. If you need to store leftovers, cover the rolls with a damp paper towel in an air-tight container and keep them in the refrigerator.

References

• Houston Chronicle: "For fresh, contemporary flavor with ancient Asian flair, nothing beats/ SPRING ROLLS"

Resources

• Small Bites Nutrition/Blogspot: You Ask, I Answer: Rice Paper/Summer Rolls