Vietnamese Salad Rolls
Being able to customize a dish to your liking is one of the best parts about cooking, wouldn’t you agree? Recipes can provide structure, but using them as a guideline (instead of a formula) is what makes cooking fun and creative.This recipe for Vietnamese salad rolls allows you to do just that! You can make this dish however you like, customizing to your preferences and dietary needs. They are a quick and easy fix for a light meal or snack. You can add a variety of different vegetables for a unique flavour and appearance. They can also be tailored to any picky eaters in the family, food intolerances or dietary restrictions, such as a meat-free diet.One thing to keep in mind while making these salad rolls, is to make sure you soak the rice paper in hot water very quickly, just for a second or two. If you leave them too long, they will become too sticky to work with. Keep in mind, the rice paper will also absorb any water from the ingredients you wrap, so make sure the lettuce and noodles you use are not wet before stuffing them. This will reduce the moisture inside the roll and make it easier when you go to roll it.Typically you see these salad rolls with a peanut sauce, but we wanted to shake things up and try a sweet chili sauce. The addition of this dipping sauce brings a whole different flavour profile to the dish. By adding more of the sweet chili sauce you can get a sugary and subtly hot flavour that enhances any veggies and protein that you’ve added to your salad roll. To keep it on the sweeter side, add some ketchup to cut through the spiciness of the chili sauce or use a plum sauce instead.Instead of rolling everything before serving, try serving this as a “roll-your-own” dinner, which is fun and interactive. And saves time 😉 What’s your favourite way of eating Vietnamese salad rolls? Have any interesting sauces or ingredients you like to add? Let us know in the comment section down below!
Ingredients
Salad Rolls
- rice paper
- rice noodles boiled, drained, and then rinsed with cold water
- carrots raw, julienned
- green onions chopped
- basil chiffonade
- lettuce leaves washed, dried, and stems removed
- smoked tofu sliced into strips
- shrimp cooked and peeled
Dipping Sweet Chili sauce
- 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp red curry paste
- ½ tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
Salad Rolls
- 1. Dip the rice paper in warm/hot water for 2 seconds, place it on a mat or cutting board.
- 2. Place a lettuce leaf in the middle, a layer of rice noodles, and layer of any vegetables of choice.
- 3. Roll the sides in first and then roll from the bottom up (from the side closest to you to the side further away from you).
- 4. Make sure you hold the ingredients tight while rolling.
- 5. The rice paper will be sticky and hard to deal with at first; but just be patient and don't roll too tight! It will break otherwise.
Dipping Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. The only dominant component is the sweet chili sauce, while the rest is up to your discretion and taste. If you want it slightly sweeter than spicy, add some ketchup.
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