easy and impressive: spring rolls!

I love a spring roll.  They are healthy, delicious and when you make them yourself you can impress all your friends.  I love when food network folks say that, because I’m not often having large gatherings of friends I’m dying to impress with my culinary skills.   Most often it’s just me, my husband and my Lola.  But maybe you do have these gatherings… I digress.

A spring roll is a Vietnamese appetizer.  It looks like a transparent burrito of sorts and its filled with all kinds of vegetables and usually shrimp.  The beauty of the spring roll is that they are much easier to make than you’d think and (much like a burrito) you can put whatever you like in them; thus making it “your special spring roll recipe.”

You need rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter) *These can be found in the asian foods section of most grocery stores.

All you do is take these out of the package and soak them in cold water while you get together the rest of your ingredients.  I like

• cooked shrimp – cut in half
• chopped lettuce
• chopped fresh Thai basil (or any basil)
• fresh cilantro
• bean sprouts
• grated carrots
• chopped garlic
• sugar snap peas

Take a pre-soaked wrapper out of the water and add whatever ingredients you’ve chosen.  You don’t want to over-pack these bad boys, they are meant to be about the size of an egg roll.  Next fold the top and bottom into the middle and roll like a burrito.   This part takes a little bit of practice, but it isn’t rocket science.  Your first one or two might have to be eaten in the kitchen.

They are delicious plain but can also be dipped into (low sodium) soy sauce or peanut sauce.  I don’t actually make these things.  You could for extra credit, but in the same isle you found the wrappers there should be some delicious options.  Just don’t slather it on or else the healthiness is out the window.

If this all sounds too labor intensive let me make it even easier for you.  When I do this kind of cooking I like to get all my ingredients ready made; so for the vegetables I hit up the salad bar at the grocery store for grated carrots,  sugar snap peas, sprouts  (and for your “special” recipe any other veggies that look good).  With precooked shrimp there is literally no work except to soak and roll!

Now go out there and impress all the guests I’m not having over tonight, or just make yourself a delicious, healthy snack!