Fresh Spring Rolls
For the protein:
1 pound ground chicken or turkey, browned in 2 T. The Tasteful Olive Basil pressato extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper
OR
1 package firm tofu cut into sticks and marinated in 2 T. The Tasteful Olive Basil pressato olive oil, salt and pepper, 1 T. The Tasteful Olive Sesame gourmet oil, and 2 T.. soy sauce for a half hour to 24 hours in fridge
For the rolls:
1 package of rice paper wrappers
1 package of rice noodles, cooked according package instructions
1 package butter lettuce, washed and separated
Fresh cilantro, basil, and/or mint, washed and stemmed
1 c. each vegetable, slivered or finely shredded (Or any vegetables you prefer)
- Avocado
- Carrot
- Seeded cucumber
- Green onion
Hoisin sauce, peanut sauce, or soy sauce for dipping
Cut reinforcements for the wrapper: take a sheet of rice paper and cut it into four even pieces (notice the 2nd layer of rice paper on the left photo. Doubling up rice paper where the meat goes will help prevent tearing at these bumpier spots on the roll.
Quickly dip one sheet of rice paper in lukewarm water, add a dipped piece of rice paper reinforcement, then add cooked rice noodles to the bottom of the wrapper. The width of the noodles will dictate the length of your roll. Notice the 1.5-2″ space left available on the left and right of the noodles.
Add lettuce on top of the roll, cutting or breaking off parts as necessary so it matches or is shorter than the noodle width.
Add any herbs and vegetables you like, again keeping it narrower than the lettuce or noodle width.
Add one row of pork right up against where the noodles end, keeping roughly the same width or narrower than the noodles.
Fold the sides of the rice paper along the entire height of the wrapper.
Begin to wrap. Make this part relatively tight, so the roll is tight all the way through. This is the most difficult part as you will have to continually push in veggies across the entire roll to maintain an even tightness throughout the roll. Once you reach the part where the meat starts being rolled up, loosen the pressure a bit since the meat is more rigid. We have a reinforcement layer of rice paper, but if it’s too tight here the spring roll can break. Continue rolling all the way up until you run out of wrapper, then you’re done!
Recipe by Heidi King (wrapping instructions adapted from hungryhuy.com)
