Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients for Spring Rolls

2 oz                          Rice vermicelli or Mai fun brown rice noodles

1t                             Toasted sesame oil

1/4t                          Fine Sea salt

1C                            Torn butter lettuce, ribs removed

1C                            Very thinly sliced red cabbage

2                              Medium carrots, cut into matchsticks, or sliced into strips with a julienne peeler

2                              Mini cucumbers, thinly sliced or sliced into strips with a julienne peeler

2                              Medium jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed, and thinly sliced

1/4C                         Thinly sliced green onions

1/4C                         Roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1/4C                         Roughly chopped fresh mint

8 sheets                   Rice paper or spring roll wrappers

Ingredients for peanut sauce

1/3C                         Creamy peanut butter

2T                            Rice vinegar

2T                            Reduced sodium soy sauce

2T                            Honey, or maple syrup

1T                            Toasted sesame oil

2 cloves                   Garlic, minced

2 – 3T                      Water, as needed          

Process

Make 1 hr ahead and wrap in parchment paper

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles just until al dente, according to package instructions

Drain and rinse the cooked noodles under cool water

Return the noodles to the pot off the heat

Toss the noodles with the sesame oil and salt

Set aside

Fill a9″ round cake pan with an inch of water

Fold a lint free tea towel in half and place next to the dish

Make sure your prepared fillings are within reach

Combine the green onion, cilantro, and mint in a small bowl

Stir

Place one rice paper in the water and let it rest for about 20 seconds

Wait until the sheet is pliable but not super floppy

Carefully lay flat on the towel

Leaving about 1 inch of rice paper around the edges, cover the lower third of the paper with a few pieces of butter lettuce, followed by a small handful of rice noodles, some cabbage, and a few strips of carrot, cucumber and jalapeno.

Sprinkle generously with the herb mix

Fold the lower edge up over the fillings, rolling upward just until the filling is compactly enclosed

Fold over the short sides like you would to make a burrito.

Roll it up

Wrap in parchment

Repeat with the remaining ingredients

To make the peanut sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari, honey, sesame oil, and garlic.

Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, as needed to make a super creamy but dip-able sauce

Serve the spring rolls with the peanut sauce on the side.

You can serve them whole, or sliced in half