Wrapped

Spring roll 生春巻き

I was bad lately; not sticking to my diet and posted three sweets recipes in a row! I promised myself that I will be good for rest of my life eating nothing but organic fruits and vegetables which I seeded and watered with rain water collected in water barrel and fertilized from compost bin enriched by worms. When the time comes, I will pick the glorious harvest with my own hands!,,,ahem!  Time to go back to reality. Anyhow, for rest of this day, I will be good.

This salad roll is one of my favorite to order in Chinese or Thai Restaurant for a starter. Some restaurants, especially in Thai eateries, however put too much cilantro in it which I don’t like.  But go ahead and put it in if you prefer the strong aroma & taste. The roll's rely on mainly on dipping sauce for flavor. I made a couple sauces and dipped away to healthier meals and me!

Ingredients for 6 rolls

• 1 bundle( about 3 ounces or 62g) of saifun (mung bean thread), reconstitute by soaking in very hot water for 10 minutes or cook in a pan for 4-5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well and cut with scissor 4-5 times.
• 1/2 of Red pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 of Yellow pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 of Green pepper thinly sliced
• 6 inches of Cucumber seeded and  thinly sliced
• Butter lettuce- 6 leaves
• Large (9 inch) Spring roll skin

1. Prepare two very wet paper towels and lay one wet paper towel on a clean flat surface. Put water in a shallow dish and dip one spring roll skin and lay it on the wet paper towel. Cover with the other wet towel until the skin gets soft about 2-3 minutes. 
2. Lay the softened skin on a dry paper towel, Add colorful vegetables first then saifun thread and butter lettuce last.  Gently but firmly fold from front and sides and roll. Do not put too much on it or you won’t able to close or will break the skin. Cover with moist paper towel to keep from drying. Repeat the process one at a time.

Dipping Sauce #1

• Fish sauce 2 Tablespoons
• Apple vinegar 2 Tablespoons
• Sugar 1 teaspoon
• Tobanjan (豆板醤）-spicy red bean miso paste. About 1/2 teaspoon
• Sesame Oil 1 teaspoon

Mix all ingredients. Soy sauce may be substituted for fish sauce.

Dipping Sauce #2

• Rice Vinegar 50CC
• Sugar 1 teaspoon
• Soy sauce 1 teaspoon
• Tobanjan 1/2 teaspoon
• Sesame Oil 1 teaspoon

Dipping Sauce #3

• 2 Tablespoons Fish sauce
• Juice of half lemon
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 dried red chili pepper (唐辛子）sliced or minced
• Water 1-2 teaspoon for thinning

Dipping sauce # 4

• Sweet chili sauce
• 1 dried red chili pepper sliced.

Dipping sauce #5

• Unsweetened peanut butter
• Soy sauce to taste

#6 Ok, Store bought jar of Plum Sauce is nice and simple!

You could go wild on the ingredients. I like to put cooked shrimp or butter sautéed eryngii mushroom even fruits roll is very refreshing in summer. Just wrap in the spring roll skin. That makes this dish special and will elevate your status as gourmet chef!? Not really but it looks great.Roses from our garden

I could stop here but we went to friend’s house for dessert. The made from scratch carrot cake was really pretty and yummy. They offered some for us to take home. Ahhh, why not. I could start that organic fruits and vegetable diet tomorrow,

The cake tasted good the next day too.

The Peko Peko cookbook really turned out well! I hope you could buy one.