It’s been a scorcher of a summer here in Ottawa and, I’m told, in other parts of the country. As a result, Mr. Shuffler and I have been avoiding heat sources in the preparation of our meals (e.g., the stove, the oven). Fine for us but a bit more of a problem when you manage a blog with the word “cookin’ ” in the title. So I humbly beg your forgiveness as I present a meal that involves more assembly than actual cooking.
Mr. Shuffler and I eat salad rolls for dinner fairly often. They’re cheap, healthy, easy and they’re a great way to get rid of random veggies hanging around your crisper. The only essential ingredient are the rice wrappers, which are easy to find these days at superstore-type grocery establishment. Here are some thoughts about what to put in yours:
Fillings
– protein source: cooked chicken, beef strips, shrimp, tofu
– veggies: shredded carrots, julienned sweet peppers, cucumber strips, snow peas, shredded spinach
– aromatic herbs: basil, mint
– vermicelli
The other essential for salad rolls is a good dipping sauce. Mr. Shuffler likes to experiment with this but we tend to include at least one that is peanut-based. Here’s a recent success found at cooks.com.
Peanut sauce
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
In a non-stick pan, combine all ingredients, stirring constatntly over medium heat until peanut butter has melted. You can do this in the microwave too, for about 30-40 seconds.
Salad roll wrapping essentials
Assembly can be a bit tricky so here’s a short tutorial.
Step 1: Soak your rice wrapper in room temperature water for approximately 10-20 seconds until soft. We usually keep a bowl of water on the table so that each wrap can be customized.
Step 2: Lay your rice wrapper on your plate and add your toppings. I like to add the sauce with the fixings so it’s a self-contained unit but you could always roll it without and then dip later. It’s really a personal decision.
Step 3: Fold up the bottom of your rice wrapper. Then fold in both sides, trying to wrap the bundle as tightly as possible.
Our Magazine
