Vietnamese Spring Rolls: The Perfect Summer Snack!

Thanks to our friends, Matt and Gretchen Crocker, I learned how to make the spring rolls I love so much at Tokyo Joe's. Only, these are EVEN better. When putting spring rolls together, a picture says a thousand words and once you see how its done, I hope you'll give them a shot. Soo refreshing, crunchy, healthy and delish. Especially dipped in peanut sauce. (Recipe to follow!)

So here we go:
First slice up all manner of yummy vegies but I think the essential ones, if you like them, are cucumber, carrot (slice very thin -- even thinner than in this picture), avocado and cilantro. Other good vegies are thin slices of jicima, red pepper, scallions. I even used some cold leftover sweet potato sliced thin.



You can find these spring roll rice wrappers in almost any oriental section of a grocery store or at World Market. They come stiff and transparent. So your job is to dip them in a fairly deep bowl of hot water (from the faucet, no need to boil), and then rotate them around in the water until they are soaked and eventually become the texture of thick plastic wrap. (Only takes a few seconds.)Just when they are soft enough to drape (as shown on top of this glass) remove and lay on a plate or cutting board.








Next, lay a small bundle of vegies, along with cooked shrimp or chicken if you like, at one end of the rice paper circle. Then carefully and snugly, roll up burrito-like. The rice paper will stick to itself just like plastic wrap.







Dip in any sauce you like, but this is my favorite!

Peanut Sauce

1/3 c. peanut butter (I like chunky)
1/3 c. teriyaki sauce
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. grated fresh ginger if you have it
1 T. sweet Thai chili sauce

Mix together until nice and smooth, taste and adjust ingredients to your taste!
If you don't like peanut butter the sauce above is very good without it. You may want to add a sprinkle of sesame seeds.