Rainbow summer rolls
About 1 ½ hours. Serves 4 to 6.
DIPPING SAUCE
¼ cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons smooth, unsweetened peanut butter 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
In a bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired with additional soy sauce. This makes a a scant ½ cup dipping sauce. Set aside until ready to serve.
SUMMER ROLLS
12 rice paper wrappers 1 cup dry vermicelli rice noodles, cooked according to package directions 2 Persian cucumbers,
julienned 1 large carrot, julienned 1 red bell pepper,
julienned 1 mango, pitted, peeled and julienned 3 scallions, white and light green parts, julienned ½ cup fresh mint leaves ½ cup fresh basil leaves ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced 1 head butter lettuce, more if needed, separated into individual leaves Prepared dipping sauce, for serving
1. Fill a shallow bowl with very warm water. Soak one rice paper wrapper in the water until pliable enough to be rolled, about 30 seconds. Transfer the wrapper onto a clean cutting board.
2. Arrange the fillings along the bottom third of the wrapper leaving about a 1-inch margin on either end of the filling. I use about 2 tablespoons of the rice noodles; equal amounts of the cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, mango and scallions; a few fresh mint, basil and cilantro leaves; 2 avocado slices; and a butter lettuce leaf for each roll. Be careful not to overfill the wrappers or they will be hard to roll.
3. Fold the wrapper over the filling and start rolling it up. About halfway through the roll, stop and fold in the sides, burrito style, then finish rolling until you have a tight roll. Transfer the finished roll to a clean plate, seam side down and drape with a damp kitchen towel while you assemble and roll the remaining summer rolls. Once all of the rolls are finished, serve immediately with the dipping sauce alongside.
Note: Adapted from a recipe in “What’s Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Food” by Gaby Dalkin.