Your Quick Fresh Spring Rolls With Peanut Sauce

Step 1

To make the peanut dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Store in the fridge until you are ready to build the rolls.

Step 2

Prepare your noodles as per the package instructions (usually they only require standing in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then drain and rinse with cold water).

Step 3

Julienne your carrots and cucumber.

Step 4

With all your ingredients ready, prepare your station for compiling and rolling the wrappers. Fill a dish or pot, large enough to submerge the wrappers, with 3-4 inches of hot water (as hot as your hands can take).

Step 5

Place the pot of water, your fresh ingredients, your dipping sauce, and your rice paper wrappers around a flat working surface with room to make your rolls.

Step 6

When ready, carefully submerge a rice wrapper in the hot water for 8-10 seconds. You will feel it become soft and pliable. It will continue to soften when you take it out of the water so there’s no need to leave it in beyond 10 seconds if your water is warm enough. As soon as it’s softened, lift the wrapper out of the water, let the excess water drip off for a moment, then lay the wrapper flat on your work surface.

Step 7

Careful not to overfill your wrappers; place a handful of noodles in the centre, top with some carrots, cucumbers, and cilantro leaves. Drizzle lightly with peanut sauce, and start rolling.

Step 8

See photos for a step by step of how to roll the spring rolls. Bring one half of the wrapper over the fillings. Fold in each side. Carefully, tuck the fillings and continue to roll the spring roll, as tightly as you can, in the direction of your first fold.

Step 9

If you layer the finished spring rolls on top of each other they will stick together. If possible, display them in a single layer. Resting them on a damp cloth while you prepare your other rolls can help minimize the sticking (just make sure the cloth isn’t too wet, check that your rolls aren’t getting soggy on the one side).

Step 10

These are best served as close to the time you’ve made them as possible. If you need to refrigerate them before serving (or to store leftovers), cover them with a damp paper towel or cloth and keep in an air-tight container. Exposure to the fridge will make the rice paper a little harder and chewier so it’s best to keep them moist.