If a winter quinoa recipe is embracing the season then consider this recipe rebelling against the cold and the rain. Sometimes even when it makes no sense whatsoever the body craves the opposite of what it should– in this case cold, fresh, raw foods. The sun even came out as we were eating these as if it agreed with me.
These vegan summer rolls are a variation on a Vietnamese salad or spring roll. The radish sprouts are peppery but lighter than fully grown radishes and are there to contrast the sweet mango. If you can’t find radish sprouts then watercress would be a good substitute.
(makes 8 rolls)
100g rice vermicelli noodles
1 mango
1/2 English cucumber
2 green onions
8 medium sized Vietnamese rice papers
1 large handful fresh Thai basil
1 package radish sprouts (watercress would be a nice substitute)
sweet chili sauce to serve on the side
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a teaspoon of salt and vermicelli noodles. Boil until tender (about 3 minutes), immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, once cold allow to drain and pat dry.
Cut the mango into long thin strips no longer than 4″. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut into long thin strips no longer than 4″. Trim off white ends of green onions. Cut into long thin strips. Wash and dry the sprouts.
Fill a large plate with warm water. Working on at most 3 at a time start forming the rolls. To use the rice papers put them, one at a time, into the water, let it sit until tender (about 45-60 seconds). Transfer each paper to a clean counter and spread it out flat, let sit for about a minute before filling. To fill you want to lay out the filling in the bottom third of the circle in a horizontal line. Add a few pieces of cucumber, a few pieces of mango, about 3 tablespoons worth of noodles followed by some green onions, a few radish sprouts and 3 basil leaves. Roll it up by folding the rice paper over the filling until it is tucked under. Pull it tight. Now fold the left and right side over towards the middle and continue rolling forward. Do the same with all rolls. (Tip: there are great videos online that can demonstrate this).
Serve cut or uncut with a sweet chili sauce. Peanut sauce would be nice too.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful!! Rebel against this freezing cold!
I love the mango in there! Thanks for the taste of summer:)
I have no problem going into denial about the winter and this recipe looks like the perfect way to do it. Light, refreshing and healthy…can’t wait to try it!
Belinda – I gotta do what I can right?
Maria – me too, I rarely buy mango so it is a nice treat.
El – It is the only way to cope sometimes.
definitely great for summer. or wishing it to be summer after this stupid snowstorm. i think that i’ll add this to my cooking this weekend. my friend and i will feast like kings and queens!
You have me wishing for warm weather. Nice work.