Learnin’ Stuff: Summer Rolls

It’s been such a long tiiiiiime! Since we learned a new recipeeeee! (Sung to the tune of Boston’s Foreplay/Long Time) But, here we are, back on the first Friday of a long awaited summer, and I’m pulling out all the stops for today’s meal! Hopefully you guys haven’t been starving in the time since our last recipe, but if you were, prepare to feast.

Difficulty: Moderate
Serving Size: 6 rolls (3 People)
Time: 20-25 minutes

Rolls:

1/2 cup of sushi rice
3/4 cup of water
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
4 carrots, shredded
1 avocado, thinly sliced
6 rice paper wraps

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter
2 tbsps of rice vinegar
2 tbsps of soy sauce
2 tbsps of water
2 tsps of sugar

Since it’s a new season, I decided to try a recipe that was completely out of my wheelhouse, and I think it paid off! This is an easy dish to make, but learning how to assemble the Summer Roll is where it can be tricky. Stick with it, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time. This dish is completely vegan, which is a first for us here at Aww Sam, and as always, it’s a versatile recipe. You can use just about any produce you want, and I encourage you to play around with it! The only thing this recipe needs cooked is the sushi rice, which cooks just long enough for you to prep everything else!

1. Start by prepping your rice, if you’re using sushi rice, it’s recommend to rinse the rice, then soak it for 20-30 minutes. An easy way to do this is to rinse it in a colander, then let it soak in the 3/4 cup of water in a small pot. Once it’s soaked bring it to a boil, and then simmer it for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let it steam for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

2. While your rice is cooking, go ahead and prep all your ingredients, starting with the cucumber, which will be thinly sliced length wise into slivers. Peel and shred your carrots, and thinly slice your avocado width wise. Set all the veggies aside.

3. Now we make our peanut dipping sauce, mixing the chunky peanut butter with rice vinegar,  soy sauce, water and sugar. Beat the sauce until it’s smooth. You may need to add a little more rice vinegar, soy sauce or peanut butter to get it to a consistency and flavor you like.

4. Once everything else is ready, we can make our rolls! Start by soaking the rice wrap in warm water for about 10 seconds, then place it on a plate. Add your ingredients to the center of the wrap, we did cucumber, carrots, rice, cucumber, carrots and avocado, but there is no particular order.

5. Using the side closest to you, fold it over and tuck in the sides, and then roll the wrap up, just like a burrito. Make sure you roll it tightly to keep the ingredients together. Set the finished rolls on a plate with a damp paper towel over them, to keep them from getting dry and cracking.

6. All that’s left to do is enjoy them! It’s that easy!

 

Easy peasy, veggie squeezy, am I right? The best part about this summer roll is how light and refreshing it is. I’m all about BBQ and burgers during summer, but sometimes it’s nice to give yourself a break and try something just as delicious, but a little healthier. I think this are going to become a summer staple around here, and I’ll probably try to add chicken in next time, though I bet pork would be just as delicious. Plus, it’s definitely going to be the coolest dish at a potluck or party, and you’ll look like some sort of master chef to all your friends! If you want more recipes like this, or if you have any suggestions for things I should try making next, let me know in the comments. Until our next dinner, stay spicy!

Share This Post:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like