Spring Rolls

Absolutely the most perfect very-hot-summer-evening-workin'-out-in-the-yard dinner.  You're hungry, but can't stand the thought of anything heavy for dinner.  I love Spring Rolls.  Any time of the year.  But when you're close to 100 degrees with 2000% humidity, oh are these ever good.

You've seen them in the grocery store, back in the section which carries fresh sushi rolls.  Now, theirs are much prettier than mine.  I don't have the technique down quite right for rolling, but the taste result is exactly the same.  Also, in restaurants and grocery stores, they use a single skin to roll the ingredients.  I can't do it.  I need to use two or the stuff will end up poking through the skins and tearing them.

Generally, they serve Spring Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce.  I like it, but I also like a traditional Vietnamese Dipping Sauce.  This is the only recipe I have to offer for this post:

VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.   Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Add:

1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic cloves

Now, what you stuff your rolls with is pretty much up to you.  Here are some suggestions.  Add as much/little as you like, or substitute ingredients which better suit your palate:

rice vermicelli
green leaf lettuce
bean sprouts
finely sliced cabbage
carrots, shredded or cut like matchsticks
matchstick-cut cucumbers
chopped peanuts
finely sliced green onions
grilled or roasted shrimp
chopped mint leaves

Another beauty of this idea is if you don't feel like making rolls, make a salad!  Here's some ideas for a wonderful Vietnamese Salad:

lettuce
rice vermicelli
angel-hair shredded cabbage
cucumber
carrot
peanuts
chopped red pepper (for color)
bean sprouts
mint
basil
green onions

DRESSING FOR SALAD:

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Pound the garlic and shallot into small pieces with a mortar and pestle or grind in a mini-chop.  Stir into the sugar water, then add remaining ingredients.

Top the salad with hot egg rolls or serve with potstickers on the side.
The dressing recipes came from THE ELEPHANT WALK COOKBOOK, a Cambodian Cookbook by DeMonteiro and Neustadt.

A side note, Jim and I will be leaving for Texas tomorrow to visit his Dad.  We'll be back next week.  Enjoy your weekend.