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The Food Matters Project: Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce
08.13.2012 Tweet
Having never attempted summer rolls in my own kitchen, I held the belief that they seemed to be more trouble than they're worth. And now? My belief stands.
I don't blame the summer roll entirely, it's just tempermental. The paper is finicky and sticky, and there are a lot of small components that need to be set in place before beginning, but you really should try them for yourself before making a final decision. I also recommend beginning well ahead of finding yourself ravenous, which will make the process all the more frustrating. Just plan ahead and don't forget the avocado like I did, only to try and stuff them inside at the last minute.
For mine, I used cucumber, carrot, poached shrimp, avocado and red leaf lettuce. The dipping sauce was made by whisking peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and enough water to make the consistency smooth.
I decided that I'd be happy to eat spring rolls again, provided they were prepared by someone else. If you'd like to make the effort, visit Alyssa's blog for the original Mark Bittman recipe.
Reader Comments (4)
I felt the same way the first time I made summer rolls. Once I got the hang of it I couldn't imagine a more perfect vehicle for summer produce. We have them at least once a week during the summer market season. I have filled them with everything from beets to zucchini. They really are dependent on the fresh herbs and green though. I don't think I would even bother to make them with grocery store ingredients.
Ha! This post made me laugh because the first time I made them, I declared the same thing. But then it got easier and now I shudder to pay $5 or $6 for two of them out. Especially when I know the quality of the ingredients I am sourcing.
Nicole- sorry to hear you had a bit of a hard time. If it makes you feel better, my first time was very similar. I think it just takes practice, although my final products aren't the nicest. I like the addition of the avocado, yum! And at first I thought you wrote "whiskey peanut butter" and before I started wondering what that was, I reread it! Oops! =)
It's always easier and more fun with a group of friends helping to make these. I feel the same way about enchiladas.