Rice Paper Rolls

Rice Paper Rolls (sorry...  photo reminiscent of the skinless chicken sausages)
We haven't had Rice Paper Rolls for a while.  Just not that kind of weather here in Southern Australia.  We've been having hearty, Winter-type meals.  Soups, stews, one-pot-stick-to-your-ribs-wonders.  But... I'm a bit souped out and Ms C has been nagging me for Rice Paper Rolls for ages... so I decided to give it a go.  The big difference this time for us is the sauce.  I wanted something *like* a dipping sauce or something to add some tasty wetness to the left-over roast chicken I planned to cut into teeny pieces...  and I remembered Domestic Diva's highly acclaimed Cashew Cream.  (Tasty wetness??  Is that a recognised cookery term you think?)  I had no idea if this flavour combo would work.  After all,  I am doing an Asian-style dish and Domestic Diva's was a Middle-Eastern one.  But..  it works!  Completely.  I've now got a nice lot of cashew cream in the fridge and I'll be looking for more places to use it in the next few days.  Watch out.

Ingredients:
  • A selection of Failsafe Vegies,  grated and julienned to your heart's content:                          
  • Celery, Mung-bean Sprouts, raw Choko, Iceburg Lettuce, Cucumber*, Carrot*
  • Vermicelli Rice Noodles and Rice Paper Rolls are both in the Asian aisle of your local supermarket. ( Read carefully,  the ingredients should be rice and water,  nothing else.)
  • Left over cooked chicken or even Deli Chicken
  • Small bowl of Cashew Cream
Method:
  • Arrange all the food in the centre of the table.  This is a help-yourself type meal
  • Boil the kettle for the water needed to soften the noodles and the paper rolls.
  • Beside an adult,  or even better,  on a separate table,  have a dish of quite hot water sitting there in which to dip the Rice Paper Rolls.  Dip quickly, lay out on your plate and quickly layer in your sauce, meat, vegies and noodles.  Figuring out how much you need is half the fun.  
  • To roll it up,  make sure the food is compact in the middle of the paper.  Fold the closest side over the filling and tuck it over,  sort of rolling backwards to 'tighten' it as you go.  Now fold over each side 'flap' and then continue rolling the whole thing away from you.  You should have a nice tight roll...  but you probably don't and now you have to hold it all together and shove it in your mouth.  Again...  half the fun.  
  • This is a fun meal to have with your family,  but best not on a night where time is an issue.  It can be a long, slow and messy meal.  Half the fun.... wait...  that was 3 halves.
*Moderate Salicylates

Verdict:  Enjoyed by all...  with various success at rolling.

Tweeks:  I'm going to have to experiment with more sauces.  Any ideas? Suggestions?

Do read the comments for some more ideas and suggestions from those in the know.



We start all pretty like this...
(Cucumber (sals), choko, lettuce,
rice noodles, chicken, cashew cream)
Then we get into a bit of this...

and then we end up more like this.

Comments

  1. Nice work real meals! Exciting to see your blog growing and reaching such fantastic milestones. We love the rice paper meals at our house - but it's a rare one here too. I loved your story about your daughter jumping into your arms over bolognaise...mine have truly forgotten what traditional bolognaise tastes like :) Keep up the great work
    Little Lush Cooks :)

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  2. You could make your own skins! That would really be even yummier. And definitely safe. :)

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  3. Evelyn? Are you referring to the Rice paper? If you are.. then please elaborate! frillypants x

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I was. :)

      Here's an example of how rice paper rolls are made:
      http://www.ehow.com/how_6587932_homemade-rice-paper-wrapper.html

      I've not made this, but I have made wanton wrappers, spring roll wrappers, and steamed 'pau' (chinese buns) skins. There are no Failsafe shops or even anything remotely close to the ones you have in Australia. Almost nobody has heard of salicylate sensitivity here. So I make everything from scratch.

      The taste is good and you know for sure that it is totally salicylate/additive/preservative/flavouring free. :)

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    2. I found the post which I did the wanton and spring roll wrappers. :)

      Here it is:
      http://therighttobealive.blogspot.com/2011/12/home-made-dumplings-and-popiahs-and.html

      The new look of your blog is really great. I love it! :)

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  4. The sauce we use for this is molasses (but could be also golden or maybe maple syrup) added with some hot water to finely chopped fried garlic. Add salt to taste. Top with extremely finely sliced green rounds of the spring onion.

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Please leave your comments. Especially suggestions to make these meals as scrummy as possible.