Asian Spring Rolls

This recipe is a labor of yum. It was totally worth the time investment and demands it's position as a new go-to recipe in the Kane-Crib. Jason and I have the unforgettable memory of biting into our first Asian Spring Roll... the fresh taste and texture is embedded in our minds and mouths.

A few years back, some Korean friends invited us over for supper and served us Asian Spring Rolls. Wowzers, so good!! We were given this fascinating rice paper thingy that we dipped into warm water, allowing it to become translucent and fun.

Then we jammed all kinds of fresh goodies inside...

And rolled it up, dipping it into a delicious sauce.

My mouth waters just reminiscing. Fer reals.

I don't own the exact recipe that we ate then, but decided I HAD to try making Asian Spring Rolls at home. 'Cause if you loved it, why not recreate it and enjoy it for the rest of your life on earth? Genius thought.

I learned lots while putting together this recipe. I researched recipes online, watched YouTube videos, tried various ingredients inside the roll, and tweaked the peanut sauce several times to get it to a happy-place.  And now, time to broadcast my new-found wisdom... you're welcome ;)

• If you can, use Rice Vermicelli Noodles in your rolls. I tested them with and without and highly vote them in! They add texture and substance and help keep the roll from falling apart when bitten into. Plus, they're just plain cool.

• Just shred your veggies, dude! I initially cut the veggies into strips 'cause some recipes called for this. But the veggies just tore through the rice paper when I attempted to roll it up. Fail.

• Crab meat = yum. Confession: I use crab sticks and chop them into pieces - they're cheaper than real crab and still taste great to me. You can substitute ground pork, tofu or shrimp if you prefer these proteins.

• If you assemble your spring rolls on a large wooden cutting board (like I did), either wet or grease the wood first. Neglect to do this and the rice paper will stick to it, adding unnecessary wrinkles to your forehead. 

• If you can access fresh herbs, throw 'em in! I used fresh basil leaves and there was a significant difference in taste when I ran out. Fresh cilantro and mint leaves are also great additions.                                                                                                     

• Do your best to eat your spring rolls fresh. We couldn't eat all that I had prepared so I refrigerated and saved them for another day. Simply, not as good. The rice paper became funky dunky.

You really have a lot of freedom with what to stuff inside. Our recipe includes what we thought was tasty and authentic but you can certainly tweak it if you find an item that offends your t-buds.

Don't know how to fold your rolls? There are many different methods. I found this video helpful.

Alright, enough said, time for you to cook "outside your box" and try this fantastic meal. Well, technically it's an appetizer, but we like it so much we make it into DINNER!

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21 NIV

ASIAN SPRING ROLLS

Prep time: 1 hour

Yields: 15-20 rolls

Rice Paper and Filling Ingredients

• 16 cm. Rice Paper. I used THESE, found at Walmart
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded cucumber, unpeeled
• 1 cup shredded radishes
• 3 large eggs, scrambled
• 1 1/2 cups chopped crab or crab sticks
• 1 cup cabbage, chopped
• fresh basil, cilantro or mint leaves
• 1/2 of an 8 oz. package of Rice Vermicelli Noodles, cooked and drained according to directions

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
• 4 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
• 4 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 medium garlic clove, crushed
• 3/4 tsp. ground red pepper, more or less to taste
• 1/4 tsp. sesame seed oil

Directions

1. Prepare all your filling ingredients and set them aside on an easy-to-grab-from plate or dish (see above photo)
2. Mix the peanut sauce ingredients with a whisk and refrigerate until ready to use (you can prepare this way in advance if you wish)
3. Grab a 9 inch pie plate and fill it with hot tap water. Place a rice paper into the water, covered, for 5 seconds. Pull it out and lay it on a clean, flat surface (if you lay it on wood, make sure to moisten the wood surface with water or oil first).
4. Immediately place a bit of each filling ingredient (about 1 tsp. or less) on one side of the rice paper. Once you have each item represented on your rice paper, begin folding it. Visit the YouTube video linked above to see how to do this.
5. Repeat this process for each Asian Spring Roll.
6. Serve your spring rolls whole or cut in half (at an angle). Warm up the sauce in a microwave and dip your spring rolls into the sauce. Delicious!