Learn how to make rice paper-wrapped spring rolls that are fresh, crunchy and delicious. They're easier than you think!
Instructions
1
Prepare the filling
2
Use a chef's knife or mandoline slicer to julienne the vegetables (this technique makes the pieces small enough to fit in your roll and ensures that you get a bit of everything in each bite). Roughly chop the dried cherries, and dice the pork into tiny cubes. Place the romaine, spinach, carrot, celery, dried cherries and pork in a large bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss to coat. Test Kitchen Tip: With any spring roll recipe, it's important to prepare your filling first. Once the wrapper is wet, it will harden quickly and become more difficult to roll, so you need to get that filling ready to move.
3
Hydrate the rice paper
4
Fill a large shallow dish about halfway with water (a pie plate works perfectly for this). Take a single sheet of rice paper and dip it into the water until it just starts to soften. This should take 10 to 15 seconds. Remove the rice paper wrapper from the water, allowing excess water to drip off, and place it on a flat surface, such as a plate or cutting board. Test Kitchen Tip: Soak and then fill one rice paper wrapper at a time; don't soak them all at once. And avoid over-soaking the rice paper. If you submerge it for too long, it will become too limp and sticky to use, and the wrapper will collapse on itself.
5
Fill each spring roll
6
When the rice paper has softened, layer 1/4 cup of the pork and vegetable filling and a sprinkling each of almonds and peas in a strip across the bottom third of the wrapper. Leave some room at the edges.
7
Wrap each spring roll
8
Fold the bottom edge over the filling. Then fold both sides of the wrapper inward. Roll it up tightly and place it on your serving plate with the seam side down. Repeat, starting with Step 2, until you've used up all the filling. Test Kitchen Tip: If your spring roll feels sticky, don't stress! Spring rolls are meant to have a soft and slightly sticky texture.
9
That's a wrap! Pour the sesame ginger dressing into a ramekin and serve it with the spring rolls.
