When you see “Spring Rolls” on a menu or picture them in your mind, what do you envision? Are you imagining some crispy, indulgent explosion of flavor? Or a fresh, revitalizing, and energizing snack? For me, I like a combination of the two, with the indulgent part coming as a complimentary dip to the “spring” flavor of super fresh vegetables.

Here is how I make my spring rolls!
You will need:
1 large mixing bowl
1 package of rice papers (I like the “OK” brand)
1 red bell pepper, slivered (see technique below)
A couple of carrots, peeled into strips
Romaine (1 head), finely shredded
1 cup fresh basil (whole leaves)
1 cup fresh mint (whole leaves)
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Avocado (see trick, below)

Slivering your red pepper: to get the most flavor, the least amount of water, and incredible burst of color, cut the inner membrane of the red pepper off with a thin slice of your knife. From there, you can dice or sliver the red pepper for the spring rolls!

Avocado Trick: You have an avocado. You want the avocado. You do not, however, want the skin. And don’t you hate it when the spoon ruins that killer texture? How to slice? How to dice? Never fear. This trick is here to save your avocado!
Cut the very tips of either end of the avocado off. Cut avocado down the middle…Use the knife to karate-chop the pit and extract it from one of the sides it came off with…Then you are free to PEEL the skin off and you are left with two perfect avocado halves! Genius! Thank you BOB for teaching me that!

Toss all your ingredients (except, um, rice papers)  in a giant salad bowl, like this one.

Meanwhile, get a skillet with about 1 1/2 inches of water steaming hot. This part, my friends, is all about technique, and chances are you will need some practice! While the water is heating up, clean a space on your counter right next to the skillet (if possible) really well. Clear out all stuff from the counter and this will be your spring rollin’ spot! Wipe down with a wet paper towel rag to leave a small amount of moisture.

You have your space all cleared out, the spring roll ingredients are mixed and in your mixing bowl. It’s time to ROLL!
These rice papers are about a dime a dozen, or maybe like $1.50 for 50 papers, so don’t be afraid to mess up on a bunch of them. Here’s what you do!
Take one rice paper and hold it just on the very end. Slowly dip in the skillet with the water and count to 3. Spin the paper around (you will probably feel some heat on  your fingers here) and make sure your original hand-holding spot gets wet too. You want the rice paper to get warm enough to become pliable, but not so soaked that it rips apart. You’ll see what I mean!

Next, lay the rice paper flat on the counter top and put a medium sized handful of the spring roll mix in the middle of the rice paper. Fold each end (the tips) of the rice paper in towards the middle. Carefully pull the side closest to you up from the counter top (it might be sticky) and fold it away from you. You want to get the tightest roll possible, and the rice papers can handle some stretching. It might take you a few tries!


When you’re all done, it’s nice to cut them on a bias (angle) to serve. They look cool on the plate that way!

And the dipping sauces…Next post will be the recipe for peanut sauce! I serve with a trio: fish sauce with jalapeño and lime, thai sweet chili sauce, and peanut sauce. Enjoy!