Vietnamese Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce

This is an interesting appetizer that I saw on the menu of a Vietnamese restaurant that we frequent ( Basil Leaf in Newtown, Pa.). It looked so good, I had to learn how to make it! Surprisingly, it was easier to make than it looked. I've never worked with spring rolls before, so it was quite an adventure for me.

I decided to watch a Youtube video that demonstrated how to work with these spring roll wraps. It couldn't have been easier. If you can wrap a present , you can wrap a spring roll.

However, in all honesty, I don't get the spring roll wrap idea!!. The wrap just holds everything together, but to me, it  really has no taste!!

The spring roll wrappers were hard to find. None of the local supermarkets carried them or even knew what I was talking about. Then when I gave up looking, I spotted the spring roll wraps in Whole Foods.


                           


I knew I had to buy them and take the challenge.

 The results: My husband really liked them! They were a hit!


Ingredients for the filling
1 pkg. of broccoli slaw ( supermarket, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's)
1 pkg. sliced white mushrooms
1 pkg of sprouts of any kind
small nappa cabbage, shredded 
1/2 cup raw peanuts
2 stalks of lemon grass, sliced
4 cloves of ginger pressed
1/2 finger of fresh ginger grated
optional: 1/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 Pkg. of spring rolls

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
any other fresh herbs you want to add

Instructions for filling: 
Saute garlic and ginger for a minute in 2 TBSP of sesame oil and some oil spray. Add 2 cups of broccoli slaw, 2 cups of shredded nappa cabbage, 1 pkg mushrooms, lemon grass, and peanuts, salt and pepper. Sautee quickly until the greens wilt and the mushrooms begin to soften just a little.( This mixture should be on the uncooked side) Remove from skillet onto a plate, so it does not continue to cook. Mix with fresh herbs and set aside.

Instructions for wraps: 
Roll the wraps one by one. 
1. Place a wrap in a flat plate of water until it becomes pliable,not sticky
2. Lay wrap on a plate and fill with 1/4 cup of filling. Bring up the two sides and then the ends. 
3. ladle some peanut sauce on the wrap and serve. 
4. we ate it with a fork and knife because mine were very full ( in the restaurant people picked it up and were able to eat it??)

Peanut sauce: 
In a blender , blend  1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter ,  1/4 cup  peanuts, juice of one lime or lemon, juice of 1/2 orange, 1 T toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp of red pepper , 1 T of gluten free soy sauce or Braggs Amino  is what I used.

one spring roll wrapper

Dip in water to soften 

Have you ever made these before? Eaten them before? Seen them before? I would love to know your opinion of this type of spring roll.

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