Vegetable Packed Rice Paper Rolls

I am so excited to share this recipe with you as it is so pretty. AND... it is healthy, vegan and delicious. Healthy and delicious. Now that is something I can live with! Can you tell I am a bit smitten with these rice paper rolls?

Mr 4 and I had these for lunch yesterday. He had a go at rolling his own but he got in a bit of a mess with it. The rice wrappers are quite sticky so you have to work carefully with them. But it is definitely worth it.

I made a batch of dipping sauce to go with these and also poured out a little hoisin sauce, but Mr 4 liked his with kecap manis which is the sweet sticky soy sauce.

Sadly these aren't something you can make in the morning and take for lunch as they dry out and stick to whatever you wrap them in. I have had success wrapping them in cooking paper, but they are very fragile when you unwrap them. Really you want to prepare them before lunch and then gobble them up straight away.

I have given rough quantities for 10 rolls, which is probably enough for 3-4 people. I ate 3 at lunchtime and Mr 4 had 2, although his second one fell apart as he ate it so he probably didn't eat a full two rolls.

The mint and coriander are an important part of the wraps, they add so much flavour and freshness. You could use just coriander or just mint. Some garlic chives might also be nice in there too.

These are so flexible you can change the veg around to suit what you have in the fridge, beansprouts, avocado, spring onion and radish are all lovely. And if you don't have Chinese cabbage, you can use a normal white cabbage or even some shredded lettuce.

I have drawn a folding/rolling guide for you. Apologies! I am far better at cooking than I am at art! But hopefully you get the idea.

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INGREDIENTS

Makes 10 rolls

• 100g dry vermicelli noodles
• 1 carrot
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 cucumber
• ¼ Chinese cabbage
• 10 Rice paper wraps
• 20 small sprigs of coriander (one of those plastic packets from the supermarket is just right)
• 20 large mint leaves

1. Place the noodles into a large bowl, cover in boiling water.
2. Allow the noodles to soak for 10 minutes and then drain and cool quickly under running water.
3. Peel the carrot and then cutting into thin batons along with the cucumber and capsicum.
4. Shred the cabbage.
5. Now you need at assemble your rolls. Above I have included a diagram that might help.
6. Find a large dish that will hold a rice paper wrapper. (I use a sauté pan)
7. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water for 20 seconds seconds and the carefully place onto a chopping board. The edges may curl up, just try to flatten it out best you can.
8. Lay two mint leaves end to end in the bottom third of the wrapper.
9. Top with a small handful of noodles, drape and fold then so they sit relatively straight.
10. Add ¾ batons of cucumber, carrot, and capsicum.
11. Top with some shredded cabbage and two sprigs of coriander.
12. Fold the bottom of the wrapper over, then fold the sides in.
13. Now tightly roll the wrapper up.
14. Repeat with the remaining rice paper wrappers.
15. Serve with your chosen dipping sauce. (see below for my favourite recipe)

For the Dipping sauce

• 1 red birds eye chillies (or 2 long red chillies)
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp raw sugar
• pinch of salt
• Up to 60ml water or coconut water

Alternative dips are kecap manis or hoisin sauce.

1. Grate or finely chop the garlic.
2. Finely chop the chilli (you can deseed them if you wish)
3. Combine the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt into a jar. Stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar.
4. Add the chilli and garlic to the vinegar mix.
5. Stir in water/coconut water to taste.