Rice Paper Rolls

I had the worst craving today for rice paper rolls and peanut sauce, so dinner was created. I've made rice paper rolls many times before; they are easy and versatile. The ingredients are a snap because you can change it to whatever you feel like or have on hand.

Alternatively, peanut sauce is not something that I have ever attempted, so I decided to wing it (as usual) and made it with what I had and what I thought would be a good combo, whatever I did worked.

  

For the filling I used the following raw vegetables:

• Carrots
• Celery
• Green onions
• Red pepper
• Cabbage (sometimes I slightly cook it to soften)
• Shrimp – I was using raw shrimp so to cook it I heated some olive oil in a small frying pan, added the shrimp, squeezed ½ lime over it while it cooked till pink (also added a few Chinese peppers to spice up the shrimp)

 Peanut sauce

• 2 cloves of garlic - pressed
• equal amount of fresh ginger - finely chopped
• ½ lime squeezed
• 4 large Tablespoons of natural peanut butter (no added sugar or salt)
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Heat all ingredients together until warm (essentially you just need to warm enough to melt the peanut butter so it will mix with the remaining ingredients)

To assemble the rolls is quite easy:

1. Soak a few sheets of rice paper in some warm water for a minute or two until soft
2. Place your filling inside
3. Roll and eat
4. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping

That’s it, quick, easy and yummy.

Side note – don’t do what I did tonight, I soaked some of the sheets of rice paper got busy with something and attempted to make my rolls, needless to say the first few fell apart. You don’t need to soak them any longer than what it takes for them to soften or they will fall apart.

Shrimp is what I had on hand, however you could certainly prepare these with chicken, tofu, sprouts, rice noodles inside (are a really yummy addition).

Use your imagination and create your own version, you will be glad you did.