Gỏi cuốn – Summer Rolls

Origin: Summer rolls come from southern Vietnam, where the climate allowed for an abundance of fresh herbs, rice paper, and rice noodles.

These are delicate, translucent rice paper bundles filled with herbs, rice noodles, veggies, and sometimes shrimp or pork, created as a cool, fresh counterbalance to the hot, rich dishes common in Vietnamese cuisine..

They carry freshness, memory, and the calm after surviving.

Ingredients

For the Noodles

• Water (for boiling)
• Sea salt (to taste)
• 3 oz rice noodles

For the Wraps

• 12 large rice paper wrappers
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 carrot, julienned
• ½ cucumber, julienned
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• ½ mango, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

  A few slices of pickled ginger

Try our Furikake Fusion as a topper or use toasted sesame seeds Furikake Seasoning

For the Sauce

• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce

1 teaspoon Spicewashed Curry Powder – Spicewashed Curry Powder

• 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup water (to desired thickness)

How The Alchemy Happens

The Noodles

Place noodles in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for about 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles into random lengths.

Mix the noodles with rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sugar (if using). Set aside.

To Assemble

Set up your assembly station: a bowl of warm water to dip the rice paper wrappers, and your prepared vegetables, mango, cilantro, pickled ginger, and furikake or sesame seeds.

Place a sheet of rice paper in the warm water until just softened. Lift it gently and place on a clean towel.

Sprinkle furikake or sesame seeds on the wrapper, then layer with spinach, rice noodles, and the remaining vegetables horizontally. Add a small slice of pickled ginger and sprinkle with cilantro.

Fold the corner facing you up over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll tightly to seal. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining rice paper and filling.

The Sauce

Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Add more water to thin it out to your desired consistency.