During the height of summer, fresh spring rolls are a refreshing afternoon lunch. Spring roll wrappers used to be tricky to find, but as Asian cuisines have increased in popularity throughout the US, these wrappers have become readily available in supermarkets and online. This recipe uses other easy to find ingredients as well. For the cooked chicken, either a can of chicken or part of a supermarket rotisserie chicken will work. For the noodles, feel free to experiment! I really enjoy Japanese sweet potato noodles, but a cooked package of instant ramen noodles will work just fine. Have fun!
Ingredients (Makes 12 Spring Rolls)
12 round spring roll wrappers (rice paper)
1 cup cooked chicken cut into small cubes
3 ounces cooked noodles cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons chili vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 inch piece of ginger, finely grated
Directions
Step 1) In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the five sauce ingredients. Fold in chicken, noodles, cabbage, carrot, and peanuts.
Step 2) Place about 1 inch of water in a 12 inch skillet and bring to a simmer (not a boil) over medium heat.
Step 3) When water is hot but not boiling, place ONE spring roll wrapper in the water for 2 SECONDS (really… just two seconds). Use a spatula to gently remove the spring roll wrapper from the water and place it on a wood cutting board. Gently smooth out the wrapper; a few wrinkles are fine. If parts of the wrapper are still hard, you can dip the wrapper in water again for an extra second.
Step 4) Place 1/4 cup of filling in a small rectangle near the center of the wrapper.
Step 5) Fold the sides of the spring roll wrapper over the short sides of the rectangle of filling, as shown. Then, gently roll the spring roll from top to bottom, sealing the filling inside of the spring roll. The wrapper will stick to itself and form a nice seal.
Step 6) That’s it! Repeat steps 3 – 5 until you run out of filling.
Spring rolls are a FRESH food and are best enjoyed within a few hours of rolling (store in the refrigerator if not enjoying immediately). Try dipping your spring rolls in soy sauce, plum sauce, or peanut satay sauce – delicious! Spring rolls are inherently low in fat and are gluten free. You could also omit the chicken and add some shredded greens for your vegan friends. Have fun!
Crowded Earth Kitchen 