Rice Paper Rolls (again)

Every spring, and on into summer, I get the urge to make rice paper rolls, also known as summer rolls. They’re uncooked and full of lovely fresh veggies — at least mine are. I blogged about them here a few years ago.

Over time, I’ve developed a few preferences. For instance, mine are not the traditional Vietnamese style — I’m not keen on the rice noodles in them, as they’re a bit bland. And I want a greater range of fresh veggies and salad things in mine.

I used to cook up a bit of spaghetti or soba noodles and use them instead of rice noodles, and was considering making zoodles (zucchini noodles) but then I decided to leave noodles out together. I also rarely use prawns, but for some protein I will add some cooked egg (like an omelette, cooled and sliced), flavored tofu (cooked and cooled) and sometimes just some ham or sliced chicken or turkey or smoked salmon from the supermarket deli. The newest addition to my fillings is fresh sliced apple, which is delicious.

So my fillings are a combination of various ingredients: lettuce (I like soft oak-leaf lettuce best); egg; tofu, ham or sliced meat or smoked salmon; thinly slivered carrots, cucumber, capsicum and apple; occasionally avocado; bean shoots; and fresh herbs like basil, coriander (cilantro) mint, etc.

I’m always adding new things in as experiments.
The main thing is to get all your ingredients ready before you start.

On the left, the ingredients for today’s lunch. Clockwise: cucumber, carrot, apple, egg, basil leaves, tofu, coriander (cilantro) capsicum. Also lettuce and bean shoots.

Rice paper that’s wet, but not yet softened.

Today I was talking on the phone to a friend who wants to start making some, so as I made my lunch today I took a few photos. I run the rice paper under a cold tap, just quickly wetting one side then the other. Then I put it on a plate. At this stage it will still be quite stiff (see pic on the right), but it softens quickly, so you need to load the fillings quickly.

shows you a good technique — she rolls the fillings up in a soft lettuce leaf first, then rolls that in the rice paper. It’s a very useful technique.

In the photo on the left, note the rice paper starting to sag over the edge of the plate. You need to be rolling it by this stage, otherwise it will be sticky and difficult. And will probably rip.

I also don’t bother making traditional dipping sauces unless I’m making them to take to a lunch where everyone brings something. For my everyday lunches, I just dribble on some satay (peanut) sauce from a bottle.

Another useful tip is not to let the finished rolls touch, otherwise the rice paper sticks, and tears when you try to pull them apart. A lot of sites will tell you to wrap each individual roll in glad-wrap (saran wrap?) but I don’t like wrapping food in plastic if I can help it. (Because, microplastics)

Stopping the rolls from sticking together.

When I’m taking them to a lunch or picnic, or even just making them in advance before people come, I separate the rolls with lettuce leaves — cos lettuce for preference as the leaves are about the right size and mostly enclose the rolls.

I made the rolls in the photo on the right last year to take to a friends’ lunch. There are six rolls in the container, and I made twelve to take, so the second layer was also separated by lettuce leaves. It worked really well, none of them stuck, and quite a few people ate the leaf with the roll.

The other thing to expect is that at first (or even if you’re distracted) you might have some trouble with the damp rice paper tearing, and the filling spilling out.

You’ll just have to eat those — yes, life is tough sometimes — they’re not failures, they’re practice rolls, and they taste as good as the perfect-looking ones.

Spot the one I made today that split. Tried to put too much in. Still tasted good. Again, I suggest you watch the video linked to above.

Once you get the hang of these delicious things, you won’t be able to stop. They’re cheap, healthy and delicious.