roll it up.

My new favorite way to use up those odds and ends from the vegetable drawer is making spring rolls.  I (well Caelyn, the boyfriend, and I) first made them as part of the spread for my Olympics-themed birthday party.  They were fresh, crunchy, and delicious, so I decided to recreate them using what I had on hand a few weeks later.

You can customize them however you’d like.  This time, I used baby spinach, cucumbers, carrots, red pepper, scallions, and apple, along with some basil, mint, and cilantro.  You could also add cooked meat or seafood, vermicelli noodles, sprouts, avocado, mango, or whatever else you fancy.  I think it could also be fun to create seasonal versions in the upcoming months.  Just make sure whatever you’re using is julienned or cut into bite-sized pieces for easy eating.  Putting them together does take a bit of practice, but it’s a fun way to spend a bit of time with a guaranteed delicious result.

It works best for me to get all my ingredients ready and then set everything I need up before starting.

After that, it’s basically like assembling a burrito.

Step 1: Soak your spring roll wrappers in warm water for 15-30 seconds.  They’ll be brittle when you take them out of the package, with a subtle pattern that you may be able to make out in the photo above.  A quick soak in warm water and they’ll be pliable and ready for filling!

Step 2: Carefully lay the spring roll wrapper on a clean kitchen towel.  It might stick to itself a bit or have a few wrinkles, but as long as you can generally lay it out flat, it’ll be fine.  It also may tear a little, but unless it’s a large tear, you can still use it.  Add a leafy base to the bottom third of the circle.  I used baby spinach, but you can use any kind of lettuce or greens.

Step 3: Layer on herbs.  Be generous; fresh herbs add lots of flavor.

Step 4: Add the vegetables.  I find it easiest if I lay them horizontally, which will make it easier to roll.  If you use cooked meat or seafood, add that as well.

Step 5: Now begins the rolling.  It’s the same as a burrito- first, fold over each side.

Step 6: Next, tuck the bottom strip over the filling, tucking it as tightly as possible.  This is the part that I find most difficult, but after the first few my technique generally gets better.

Step 7: Finally, just roll it up.  The wrapper will stick to itself and create a seal, so you don’t need to worry about it unrolling.

Step 8: Enjoy!  You can slice them in half or leave them whole.  They are definitely best with a dipping sauce- this time I used hoisin, but I also enjoyed this dipping sauce last time.  Or create your own.  The best part about these are that they’re completely adaptable to your tastes.  So next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up a package of spring roll wrappers and you’ll be ready to go when the mood strikes, or you have to create a meal out of some refrigerator scraps.

• food
• vietnamese