Sunday, June 8, 2008

Vietnamese spring rolls

Last night's dinner...

This is too easy. You'll need:
  • the meat from a barbecued chook, shredded up with your fingers
  • a couple of carrots, grated
  • a cucumber, grated
  • half a smallish capsicum, grated or chopped up very finely
  • a couple of handfuls of sprouts (watercress, mung bean, snowpea, alfalfa, whatever you fancy)
  • a good bowlful of thin rice noodles, soaked in boiling water until they go soft
  • a small chili if you like a bit of zing, chopped super-fine
  • a couple of glugs of soy sauce
  • a generous handful of chopped mint
Mix it all up in a big bowl.
Now soak round rice paper sheets one at a time in hot water until they go soft. Lay the sheet out on a damp tea towel, or it'll stick to the table.
Plop a big pinch of your filling on one edge, fold in the sides and roll it up. Voila, a spring roll!
Make a big stack of these bad boys on a plate.
Grab your favourite sauces - soy, sweet chili, satay, whatever you think will go well.
(Note: now's not the time to get all precious about cultural authenticity - they're your tastebuds, after all. If you think barbecue or tomato sauce will work, go your hardest. I mean, I don't think they will, but if that's wh at you want to try, who am I to stop you?)
Finally, sit down with your big plate of rolls, your dipping sauces, a good friend and something crisp, like a James Boags Premium. Enjoy, guilt-free.

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