Summer Rolls

I’ve made these rolls twice now for catering events and finally decided it was time I make them at home and share the recipe with you. Before catering I had never made summer rolls before – sure I had ordered them in restaurants, but they always seemed so foreign and exotic – the see through thin rice paper wrappers were always mystery to me. Could these rolls really be put together by anything but the thinnest and most delicate hands? Well, as it turns out they can.

It does take a little bit of patience to put these together and this isn’t exactly a quick meal fix (it probably took me an hour to make 20) but these rolls are so fresh and crisp it’s just absolutely refreshing. If you want to make them vegetarian omit the shrimp, but I do like it more with the shrimp. And the peanut sauce is an absolute must for dipping!

Summer Rolls

Makes: 20

Start to Finish: 1 hour

Ingredients:

3/4-1 english cucumber, grated

2 handfuls baby carrots, grated

3/4 oz package basil, chopped

3/4 oz package mint, chopped

handful cilantro, chopped

20 rice paper wrappers (1 package)

40 medium shrimp, boiled and cooled

4 oz cellophane or vermicelli rice noodles

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

water

Directions:

1. Place rice noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain water.

2. Under hot water wet 1 rice paper wrapper at a time until it is very soft. Place wrapper flat in front of you and add cilantro, basil, mint, carrots, cucumbers, noodles and 2 shrimp and start wrapping. First wrap the flap in front of you and then tuck in the two sides and continue wrapping. Repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers.

3. To make the sauce combine peanut butter, sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and enough water to create the desired consistency. Add water a little at a time, mix until smooth and add more water if needed.