Anyway, those of you who know me know that I really am a sucker for great Asian food. Most recently, I've become obsessed with Pho... and those delightful little spring rolls that the restaurants also serve. So, that being said, I decided to venture out of my culinary comfort zone one day and attempt to make my own. I'll be honest. The first time that I made them, I was extremely overwhelmed, and I almost gave up halfway through the process. The wrappers were sticking to every surface I put them on, they were tearing, basically it was a DISASTER.
However, I stuck with it, and the "disaster" ended up tasting phenomenal. My boyfriend exclaimed, "these are the best spring rolls I've ever had by far!" That right there, folks, made me want to give the spring roll making process another shot, and you know what? Today was smooth sailing in the kitchen! Woo hoo!!
Fresh Spring Rolls (serves 3-4 people)
-1 package Mai Fun noodles (the package might say "rice sticks")
-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-Approximately 9 spring roll wrappers (just the rice paper, not the egg roll wraps)
-1 1/2 c. hoisin sauce (have 1 cup of sauce separated from the other 1/2 cup)
-1 T. lite soy sauce
-1 T. Sambol (hot chili paste)
-1 t. garlic powder
-1 t. onion powder
-salt and pepper
-1 t. crushed red pepper
-1 t. lemon pepper
-1/2 c. creamy, natural peanut butter
-2 c. chopped romaine lettuce
-1/4 c. chopped fresh mint leaves
Chicken (for the filling): Season the chicken breasts with the garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper, lemon pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook the chicken for about 10-12 minutes on each side, over medium heat. Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, add 1/2 c. hoisin, the soy sauce, and sambol paste to the pan. Coat the chicken, and remove from the heat. Slice the chicken breasts into about 1/2" thick slices.
While the chicken is cooling, soften your Mai Fun noodles, by following the directions on the back of the package. Once they have been softened, drain them. Next, you'll need to soften the spring roll wrappers. Here's where it gets tricky. My best advice to you is to soften one at a time, fill it, roll it, and then move onto the next. The wrappers are incredibly sticky, and they DO NOT stack well, at all.
Heat a large bowl of water in the microwave for about a minute. Place one of the wrappers into the water for about ten seconds. Remove carefully, and place flat on an oiled plastic cutting board. Fill the wrapper about an inch away from the top with a small handful of lettuce, a few chopped mint leaves, another small handful of the noodles, and two to three slices of the chicken (depending on the size). Next, begin rolling it like a burrito, tucking in the sides as you roll. They should stick together. There really isn't an easy way for me to explain the rolling process. I can tell you though, that you'll get the hang of it quickly, probably by your third spring roll. ;)
Once you've rolled them all, lay them flat on either a plate or a cookie sheet, and refrigerate for at least an hour. This allows the roll to set.
While those are cooling, you can make a simple spring roll dipping sauce by warming the 1/2 c. of peanut butter and 1 c. of hoisin that you reserved from earlier. This mixture should not be heated above medium-low. The peanut butter will dry up and burn, thus ruining your sauce. The sauce will be thick. I recommend spreading it on the roll with a spoon when you are ready to eat. (Trust me, the sauce makes the entire dish!)
This recipe sounds WAY more complicated than it really is. Give it a shot. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have. Enjoy!
