Vietnamese Summer Rolls are VERY easy!

HeidiCooksSupper
HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
Summer rolls are really delish and easy. I won't put a recipe here because you can adjust what you put in them or the sauce you make by what you have on hand. There are plenty of recipes and instructions for rolling them on "the interwebs."

This was my first time trying to roll stuff up in rice paper rounds. The storekeeper recommended I use a water spray bottle to wet them rather than dip them and it worked great. I did it on a piece of parchment paper so I could pick up the edge to get the rolling started. After I got the hang of rolling them tightly enough it was really easy. The rice paper is very forgiving and I didn't rip a single one.

Yummy and low cal. Look at my supper diary for today (6/14) if you want to see what I put in them and the dipping sauce tonight. We'll definitely have these for supper again.

Replies

  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    I've been meaning to try making them but haven't seen any good shrimp for sale. I also have to get mint from the Asian market way across town.
    I can only seem to grow mint in the winter and cilantro is a really cool weather prima doña. Maybe I could just do basil and chicken. I have tons of basil!
  • SymphonynSonata
    SymphonynSonata Posts: 533 Member
    Oh gosh, thank you for reminding me! I have a bunch of the rolls in my closet, the spray bottle is a GREAT tip! I was getting a pot of water, putting a chop stick in the middle of the roll and dipping it in awkwardly. I use bell peppers, onion, carrot, and whatever other veggies I have lying around (I found a great recipe on Youtube, not sure where it is, but it was just a bunch of vegetables) and dip it in that pink sauce (can't remember the name; it's vegan and comes in a huge bottle at most Asian markets for like $4). Sooooo good and SO filling!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I need to find an Asian market or some instructions or something... I LOVE those. But I have no idea what they typically put in there... what are those super thin white noodle-type thingies?
  • chopsart
    chopsart Posts: 122 Member
    I want to make Summer rolls! I plan on buying "rice paper rounds" at the Asian market this week. Is that the correct name?
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Love these! I also have some wrappers to use, spray bottle is an awesome tip! Thank you!
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    I've loved these since I was a kid! My family are making these tomorrow for Father's Day :D
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    I want to make Summer rolls! I plan on buying "rice paper rounds" at the Asian market this week. Is that the correct name?

    They are also used for spring rolls. I think summer rolls and "fresh spring rolls" may be the same thing. The bag mine came in says

    BANH TRAN
    Rice Paper 22cm
    Flying Horse
    Hieu Con Ngua Nay
    (100% machine make and dry)
    100% Dung Bang May Che Bien va Say Kho
    Hop Ve Sinh

    I just asked the guy if he had the wrappers for spring rolls and this is what I got.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    I've been meaning to try making them but haven't seen any good shrimp for sale. I also have to get mint from the Asian market way across town.
    I can only seem to grow mint in the winter and cilantro is a really cool weather prima doña. Maybe I could just do basil and chicken. I have tons of basil!

    Mine were chicken and I used basil and cilantro for the herbs since I don't have mint either. It was tasty.
  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    Yes they ARE yummy! I grew up on this stuff. Easy quick meal and the rolls themselves are low calorie. :)

    My most favorite, simple and traditional combination:

    Rice paper
    Lettuce
    Cilantro
    Rice noodles
    Boiled pork (sliced thin)
    Boiled shrimp

    Optional additions:
    Cucumber
    Carrots
    Lightly boiled beef (sliced thin or you can also let cook over some butter/olive oil)
    Any type of white fish (baked or lightly boiled)

    Dip in part fish sauce and lime mixture with some sliced chili pepper. Or alternately, a nice peanut sauce but this will add more cals!
  • Jujubees813
    Jujubees813 Posts: 24 Member
    I made them last weekend for the first time and will be making them tomorrow for father's day. My husband has been waiting so impatiently haha! We use coleslaw mix, imitation crab meat (tomorrow we're trying the lobster meat, it's lower sodium), water chestnuts and butter lettuce. I made a peanut sauce to dip the rolls in. It's from Taste of Thai that is just powder and you mix it with coconut milk. So delicious. I use it in everything haha! I'm glad to see other people love them too!
  • MudDancer
    MudDancer Posts: 151 Member
    A great tip that I learned for making these rolls is, instead of making the peanut dip for these rolls (especially if you are taking them for lunch) after you have made your roll spread a little peanut butter and hot sauce on top then wrap in another rice paper.
  • Jujubees813
    Jujubees813 Posts: 24 Member
    Yum! Great idea!
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    Yes they ARE yummy! I grew up on this stuff. Easy quick meal and the rolls themselves are low calorie. :)

    My most favorite, simple and traditional combination:

    Rice paper
    Lettuce
    Cilantro
    Rice noodles
    Boiled pork (sliced thin)
    Boiled shrimp

    Optional additions:
    Cucumber
    Carrots
    Lightly boiled beef (sliced thin or you can also let cook over some butter/olive oil)
    Any type of white fish (baked or lightly boiled)

    Dip in part fish sauce and lime mixture with some sliced chili pepper. Or alternately, a nice peanut sauce but this will add more cals!
    Thanks for the recipes! I don't like the sweet sauce so I'll give the chile lime fish sauce recipe.
  • Follow_me
    Follow_me Posts: 6,120 Member
    These do sound delish but I have a question for one of you ladies in the know. Would it be possible for me to make a large batch of these and freeze them?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,060 Member
    Must be a Cali thing, but here they're called "spring rolls".

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Must be a Cali thing, but here they're called "spring rolls".

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    It's what we call them in France too. But here Spring rolls often come fried, so it can be confusing.

    But I've never seen it served with peanut sauce, typically it's a orange sweet sauce that comes with them.
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Follow, no, I don't think you can freeze these. The rice wrappers are finicky and only taste right immediately after preparing. Also, the fresh ingredients like lettuce, fresh herbs, etc also wouldn't freeze well.
    Making these tonight! I'm adding avocado to mine, not sure if it's been mentioned in this thread but I often see it in veggie ones. Yum, just hope my kids try them :)
  • GreatDepression
    GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
    I dislike how Thai restaurants are so commonly serving Vietnamese salad rolls that many Americans now think the the dish is actually Thai. In Vietnam, it's a common street food for lunch (not appetizer) wrapped with sliced pork belly, prawn and garlic chives. The sauce is generally less sweet than the American version and the peanuts come from freshly pounded peanuts rather than added peanut butter.
  • cosmichvoyager
    cosmichvoyager Posts: 237 Member
    I love these! There's a really good vegan chinese restaurant near me that makes them with vegan ham. I am not even vegetarian but I get them all the time.

    I should try to make them at home, I bet it's inexpensive.