Summer Rolls

These Korean Summer Rolls, done “winter-style” are delicious, simple, fast, and easy. They make for a great daily lunch, and easy dinner, or just a snack. Knowing how to make them is a useful thing, and the hardest part about it? Finding the ingredients~ Enjoy

First, you’ll need to do some prep work. Nothing serious. Just chose what veggies/meats (I’m a vegetarian, soo…veggies for me 🙂 ) you want to “wrap” in your wraps (no lame joke intended, promise). I decided on carrots, cucumbers, avacado, and snow peas. I’ve heard it said (and a few Korean friends have confirmed) that carrots/cucumbers are the “American” version, and they aren’t used in Korea typically.

Some other things I’d suggest? Rice noodles, seaweed, bean sprouts, brocoli, and even sweet potatoes (my family uses sweet potatoes with cranberry-chipotle glaze, and it’s delicious. I’ll link the recipe if I can find it at the bottom).

So, first you’ll want to slice all that stuff up, and set it aside.

So, you’re wondering how I got these carrots so thin, eh? Not really, I’ll bet, but I shall tell you anyway. It’s really simple.

1. Peel the carrots as usual, and discard (or compost, or feed it to your dog, whatever) the peel.

2. Keep peeling. The peels will be nice, thin, and long. Ta-da!

-Here’s a tip: You can use a Mandolin, or a grater, or just some fantastic knife skills to prepare all this stuff, but it’s really easy, simple, and fast to do it this way (peeling) too. Plus, there isn’t very much clean up. It’s up to you, but this is my pick.-

Next, get your rice paper, and soak it.

Wait, What? Rice Paper? Um, can you get that at Shaw’s? Wegmans? STOP AND SHOP? WHERE in the WORLD is rice paper?

This, my dears, is rice paper.

I found it at a lovely, local Korean food store.

As you can see, it’s 22 centermeters in diameter. Oh, and it’s Korean. Mine is, at least.

As you can also see, this stuff is a hot commodity. Which means?

It’s hard to come by. I had to fork over 199 dollars just for one package (of 25 or so). Talk about an arm and a leg!

Just kidding. It’s actually just $1.99.

Wow. Lame Joke Central. 😦

It’s rather purty, right? I say yes.

To soak it, you can do whatever, but here’s how I roll.

1. Fill pot (or pan) with an inch or two of HOT water.

2. Place in half of paper, if a small pan, or the whole thing if it’s big enough to fit.

3. If it’s too big, I wait a bit, then dip the other half, and sort of work the whole thing until it folds up and all fits.

**Don’t worry, this doesn’t make it stick together if you keep it it the water**

4. Remove from water, and rinse with cold, running water.

-This isn’t necessary, but I like it. Not sure why-

Okay, now it’s time to wrap these puppies up.

Pretty self explanatory, no?

Of course, you can wrap these pretty much any way. This way just works for me.

Now, you can slice them up, and eat, or make a sauce.

I made a sauce, but sadly, didn’t take pictures.

Here’s what you need:

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon mirin (sweetened, cooking Sake)

1 tablespoon sweet & sour sauce

(I used La Choy Sweet/Sour mixed 1/2 & 1/2 with water, you can always make your own)

Mix all of this together & serve.

You can also have them with peanut sauce, which is what my mom did.

We make this on a regular basis, so next time, expect a post.