Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Simple, healthy and fresh with a creamy peanut sauce for dipping. Fun and interactive to serve at dinner parties! Prep ahead of time and use up lingering veggies as you go!

Cuisine: Vietnamese Prep: 30 min Cook: 10 min Total: 40 min Serves: 3-4

Fresh Roll Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 (10-inch) rice paper wrappers

• 5-10 green leaf lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces

• 1-2 sprig fresh basil

• 1-2 sprig fresh mint

• 1-2 sprig fresh cilantro

• 1 cup matchstick carrots

• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• ½ seedless cucumber, cut into long matchsticks

• 1 avocado, halved, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (1/4’’)

• 1 mango, peeled, cut around seed center and thinly sliced (1/4’’)

Peanut Sauce:

• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)

• ½ cup peanut butter (I like the chunky kind for added texture!)

• ¼ cup Hoisin sauce

• 1-2 cup room temp water, to be added in increments

• 2 tablespoons Sriracha for added spice (add less or omit depending on taste preference)

Instructions:

Making the fresh rolls:

1. Chop the veggies/fruit and prep the herbs, placing them in individual bowls. Then, fill a large bowl with lukewarm water to wet the rice paper sheets.

2. Get a wood board ready and brush water on the surface so it is damp. It is a good idea to dampen the board every 2-3 rolls to keep it moist.

3. Working one at a time, dip the sheets of rice paper in the bowl of lukewarm water to moisten the surface for a few seconds (about 4 sec). Then, lay the sheet of rice paper onto the wood board. (You have about one min till the rice paper will start to harden, so work at fast pace). Near to the bottom edge of the rice paper (leaving about 1" from the border), place lettuce, basil, mint and cilantro. Top with carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, mango and avocado creating a pile.

   *Note: If the rice paper breaks easily, it was probably soaked it too long. Just toss it and try it again, reusing the filling. I’ve found that each package of rice paper is slightly different and that’s why it becomes more of a “feel” thing. The tighter you can make the spring rolls without breaking the paper is the secret to spring rolls that hold their shape and don’t fall apart when cut in half. It just takes a little practice, like most things.

4. Take the lower edge of the rice paper with the toppings and roll it up until you reach the center. Tuck and roll as you go for a tight seal. Then, fold in the left and right sides of the rice paper so it covers the filling. Continue rolling the spring roll and press together the end to seal, being careful not to tear the rice paper.

5. Cover with damp paper towels.

6. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Peanut Sauce:

1. Once the fresh rolls are done, start to make the peanut dipping sauce. First, chop the garlic and sauté in a medium size pot with frying oil for 1-2 minutes until golden.

2. Then add the peanut butter, Hoisin sauce, water, and Sriracha (optional) to the pot and begin to stir continuously. Sauce must be constantly stirred to prevent clumping or burning. Water should be added in slowly as sauce slowly starts to thicken. This will take a few minutes.

3. Once at a smooth, creamy consistency, remove from heat. Taste test sauce with extra pieces of lettuce or cucumber, and adjust to your taste preference. Pour into a small serving dish for dipping. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

• Fresh rolls will keep well for 2-3 hours at room temperature. Fresh rolls do not store well in the fridge as the rice paper will harden, so it's truly best to enjoy these the day you make them.

• Peanut dipping sauce can be made ahead of time and will store in a closed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

• Veggies can also be cut and prepped in advance and will keep in a closed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

• Serve the peanut sauce with a spoon, so guests are not tempted to dip the rolls directly into the sauce which will result in the veggies falling out into the sauce.