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I've been planning on making these babies for a while. I've always loved them at Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, those cool, chewy-crisp packets of flavor. They're one of summer's ideal foods. Since I started growing Thai basil in my garden, I kept telling myself that I'd learn to make summer rolls one of these days. Today, my friends, was that day.
The only place where I knew for sure I'd be able to find the rice paper wrappers needed to make summer rolls was the local Asian supermarket. I made a trip there this morning, picking up some rice vermicelli as well (those are the noodles usually used in the filling). Since the cilantro in my garden never really took off, I got a bunch of that, too. I picked up some cooked shrimp at the regular grocery store, got some lettuce and cucumber at the farmers' market, and I was all set.
When you're doing something that requires assembly, like summer rolls do, it's a good idea to have your mise en place set up before you get started. I soaked the vermicelli in warm water until it was soft, then drained it and let it sit in a bowl. I took my julienne peeler, and reduced half a carrot, some cucumber, and even some raw turnip to slim matchsticks. I tore off some leaves of cilantro, Thai basil, and spearmint. I chopped some shrimp in half. I also made my very simple dipping sauce: a mix of hoisin, rice vinegar, and a little sriracha, with chopped peanuts on top.
Next, came the assembly part. The various websites I read today assured me it wouldn't be as difficult as it looked. Step one was to dip the round of rice paper in lukewarm water. It doesn't need to soak, just to have a quick dip: a baptism, not a bath! It should still feel hard when you bring it out of the water and set it on a plate. Don't worry about that: it will soften up in the time it takes you to put the filling on!
When filling the summer rolls, start with some lettuce, which is nice and soft, so you won't have to worry about something poking out and tearing the rice paper. Place it near the bottom of the rice paper round. Then, you can add stuff as you will. Don't over-stuff it, or you won't be able to roll it! Just a little of each item is enough. I used one shrimp per roll, cut in half the short way. When it's filled, tuck and roll like you're rolling a burrito. When you've got the rice paper rolled over the filling, fold in the sides, also burrito-like. Then finish the rolling. The rice paper will be sticky enough to hold itself closed, so you don't need to worry about using a toothpick to hold it.
My first adventure in summer roll-making tasted every bit as good as the ones I've had in restaurants. Using the right herbs, all fresh, makes that possible. They might not have been QUITE as pretty as the ones in restaurants, but they weren't a horrendous mess, either. You be the judge!
The only place where I knew for sure I'd be able to find the rice paper wrappers needed to make summer rolls was the local Asian supermarket. I made a trip there this morning, picking up some rice vermicelli as well (those are the noodles usually used in the filling). Since the cilantro in my garden never really took off, I got a bunch of that, too. I picked up some cooked shrimp at the regular grocery store, got some lettuce and cucumber at the farmers' market, and I was all set.
When you're doing something that requires assembly, like summer rolls do, it's a good idea to have your mise en place set up before you get started. I soaked the vermicelli in warm water until it was soft, then drained it and let it sit in a bowl. I took my julienne peeler, and reduced half a carrot, some cucumber, and even some raw turnip to slim matchsticks. I tore off some leaves of cilantro, Thai basil, and spearmint. I chopped some shrimp in half. I also made my very simple dipping sauce: a mix of hoisin, rice vinegar, and a little sriracha, with chopped peanuts on top.
Next, came the assembly part. The various websites I read today assured me it wouldn't be as difficult as it looked. Step one was to dip the round of rice paper in lukewarm water. It doesn't need to soak, just to have a quick dip: a baptism, not a bath! It should still feel hard when you bring it out of the water and set it on a plate. Don't worry about that: it will soften up in the time it takes you to put the filling on!
When filling the summer rolls, start with some lettuce, which is nice and soft, so you won't have to worry about something poking out and tearing the rice paper. Place it near the bottom of the rice paper round. Then, you can add stuff as you will. Don't over-stuff it, or you won't be able to roll it! Just a little of each item is enough. I used one shrimp per roll, cut in half the short way. When it's filled, tuck and roll like you're rolling a burrito. When you've got the rice paper rolled over the filling, fold in the sides, also burrito-like. Then finish the rolling. The rice paper will be sticky enough to hold itself closed, so you don't need to worry about using a toothpick to hold it.
My first adventure in summer roll-making tasted every bit as good as the ones I've had in restaurants. Using the right herbs, all fresh, makes that possible. They might not have been QUITE as pretty as the ones in restaurants, but they weren't a horrendous mess, either. You be the judge!
