Help making spring rolls

15 years ago

I picked up some spring roll wrappers at the Oriental food store and now that the veggies are coming in from the garden and farmers market I would love some help and ideas. I haven't made them before but have tried the steamed ones and am thinking about the fried ones. What fillings can I use or do you particularly like. I know about soaking in water before rolling and being careful not to tear the wrappers but any other help would be great as afar as cooking goes. With DH now diabetic, this would be one way to add veggies to his diet, and make a light meal for the family on these hot days. Right now on hand from the garden I have cabbage, carrots, yellow bell peppers, onions, banana peppers, green beans, spinach, and cucumbers and several different squash to choose from. I would also like to add some meat to some for DH so it is more filling for him, the girls, Hayden and I are just about vegetarian this time of year when the fresh produce is at its peak.

Stacie

girlsingardens

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Comments (4)

teresa_nc7
15 years ago
Stacie,
I don't soak the wrappers, I lay them on a clean dish towel (linen/cotton not terry) and spray them with fresh clean water from a spray bottle.

The recipe in the link is very similar to what I usually make, only I don't brush the rice paper wrappers with beer, but spray them with water as mentioned above.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fried Spring Rolls from the Splendid Table
kandm
15 years ago
Did you get the rice wrappers or the wheat ones? You're only suppose to soak the rice ones.
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ntt_hou
15 years ago
If you mean the Vietnamese spring rolls that are served in VNmese restaurant, here's how they're done.

The rice paper do not need to be soaked. They get too soggy. Get a bowl that is larger than the rice paper, fill it up with warm water, just dip the rice paper into it and lay each out on a foam plate. It will soften after a few minutes. Do not soak them too much ahead of times; rather, soak them 10-15 mins. before using them.

If I need to stack them up, I normally, just wet it on one side of the rice paper and stack them up unevenly for easy removal.

Ingredients for fillings:

Any soft type of Lettuce: Boston lettuce or Cracoviensis (asian: leaves are long red and green or just green)

Peppermint leaves

Cilantro - cut them in 2-3" long

Rice noodles - boiled, drain in a colander, run in cold water to stop it from cooking. (note: they cook quite fast, within minutes)

Boil or steam pork meat (pork loin is fine). Once done, take it out let it rest for 10-15 mins. before slice them thinly.

Boiled medium to large shrimps. I normally just use pre-cooked cocktail shrimps and heat them up slightly. Slice them in half lenghthwise.

Once all these are prepared, you can chose to roll them up yourselves before serving or just bring all these ingredients to the table and let each person roll it up themselves.

Here's how: Lay a damp rice paper on a plate. Tear up a couple of pieces of lettuce leaves and lay it horizontally on and at 1/3 from the edge of the rice paper. Leave some room on the left and right side for rolling. Next lay a layer of 2-3 slices of pork meat and then a layer of the rice noodles on top of the leaves. Next layer is a few peppermint leaves and cilantro across. About at the center of the rice paper, lay horizontally 3-4 pieces of shrimps with the cut side up.

Now, you're ready to roll them up. Roll them up as you would a burrito. Fold the horizontal side of the ingredients inward, then fold the left and right side in, it should hold them together. Then, roll in the rest tightly but be careful not do it too tight. Otherwise, it'll break.

I don't measure much when I cook. We, VNmese, normally just eyeball how much to make for how many people. Hopefully, you can guess.

Don't know how clear my instructions are but hope you get it.

Natalie
jessyf
15 years ago
Natalie, welcome to the forum. I don't think we have had a Vietnamese 'representative' for a while, if that. I'd love to hear about how to make 'pho' (rice noodle/meat soup) - especially if I can get it to be pork free since we don't eat pork or shellfish. I live in the Los Angeles area so access to ingredients isn't a problem, and DH and I love VM foods.

I pretty much follow your system and ingredients for the fresh spring rolls, consuming/serving them 'fresh' as I have seen in restaurans. I would destroy them if I fried them; I just don't handle them well. I haven't tried lettuce, I should, because I usually use broccoli slaw.

Start a new thread and introduce yourself and some of your favorite dishes you make, will ya?

Help making spring rolls

Comments (4)

teresa_nc7

kandm

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