Fresh Thai Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

This is a great fresh summertime recipe that can be used for appetizers, a light lunch or if you are like me and enjoy eating appetizers for dinner, a great light dinner! This is a very simple vegetarian version of the recipe, but feel free to get creative with things and alter the ingredients to suit your tastes. Some protein suggestions include: baked tofu, tempeh, shrimp, chopped chicken or pork. Also you can vary the veggies as well...red peppers, bean sprouts, avocados, minced onion and various types of greens (arugula, mustard greens, other herbs and lettuces) make great additions.

The sauce and rolls can be made the day before. If you store the rolls, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and sprinkle lightly with water. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted chunky peanut butter (I would suggest using a natural brand of peanut butter versus something like Jif or Skippy..those have a lot of added sugar that you do not need, plus the natural versions have more of the natural peanut oils that help add flavor to the sauce).

3-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Juice from 1 small lime

Water - 1-2 tbsp or just enough to thin the sauce out

Salt to taste (this will vary depending on what brand of soy sauce and peanut butter you use)

Directions

In small bowl, combine all ingredients except the water and salt and stir until mixed thoroughly and the sugar has dissolved. Add water, a little at a time, until you reached the desired consistency. Taste and add more salt or sugar if necessary. Set aside while you make the spring rolls.

Spring Rolls

Ingredients

1 - package of Spring Roll Wrappers/Rice pancakes

1/2 package of Long Kou Bean Threads or other thin rice or bean noodles

3-4 carrots, shredded or julienne

1 large cucumber - shredded or julienne

Basil - 1-2 leaves per spring roll

Cilantro - 1-2 sprigs per roll

1 tsp sesame oil

1tsp rice vinegar

Salt

Directions

Prepare all of your fillings (veggies, greens, herbs and protein - shrimp, tofu, etc.) and set aside.

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add the sesame oil, rice vinegar and salt to the water. Turn off the burner and add the bean threads to the water and allow noodles to cook (approximately 5 minutes). Leave the noodles in the water while you complete the next step. You want to to drain the noodles right before you start using them, otherwise they stick together and are a pain to work with.

While the noodles are cooking, on another burner cover the bottom of a 12 inch pan with 1 inch of water and heat the water. It doesn't have to boil but should hot. You are going to have to put your fingers in it so don't make it so hot that it is going to burn you.

To assemble the rolls:

Place a rice pancake in the warm water and allow it to soften (about 15-30 seconds). Remove the paper from the water and lay flat on a clean surface (I like to use a flexible plastic cutting board). Place about 1/4 cup of bean threads, approximately 1 tsp of shredded carrots and cucumber, basil and cilantro onto the lower 1/3 of the paper. Roll in spring roll fashion. The paper should become relatively sticky and will seal itself. Set aside and repeat for the remaining rolls.

To serve: Assemble rolls on a plate and serve with peanut sauce. I also enjoy serving these with a some chopped herbs (basil) and some Sweet Chili sauce that can be found at most grocery stores in the international food's section or at any specialty food store (or even at World Market! Which by the way is also where I get the rice pancakes and bean threads.)