Fresh, light and bursting with flavour, you can trust me when I say, these rolls and dipping sauce are Super- Duper addictive!
These Asian Rice Paper rolls were one of the top sellers at my café. They're packed with fresh veggies and mung bean noodles and served with my famous Sesame- Soy Dipping Sauce.
Although, believe it or not, I've never documented my recipe for making these rolls and sauce until now. [Yes! I've been winging it for years and trusting my judgment with the ingredient ratios and flavours].
However, after many requests for the recipes, I finally decided to take the time to document the ingredients, quantities and method for making these epic rolls and dipping sauce!
It may seem like a bit of work to make, but it's really very simple. All it takes is some practice with the rolling to get them nice and tight, and with a few tries, you are sure to be a pro in no time.
See below for the recipes, and step-by-step video for rolling these rice paper rolls.
Yield Aprroximately 16-18 Rolls
For The Asian Rice Paper Rolls
Ingredients
16-18 Rice Paper Sheets
5 Cups Purple Cabbage, julienned and loosely packed
1 1/2 Tbl Sesame Oil (unseasoned)
1/4 Cup Pimentos, finely chopped
1 Tbl Garlic, minced or finely chopped
2 Carrots, julienned into sticks or shredded
2 Cucumbers, julienned into sticks
1/4 Cup Chadon Beni, roughly chopped (or substitute for fresh cilantro or chive)
3 Bundles Mung Bean Noodles - I used https://www.rolandfoods.com/
Method
For The Cabbage
Heat a pan or wok on medium heat, then add the sesame oil.
When the oil is heated, add the pimentos and garlic, saute, then toss in the purple cabbage.
Stir frequently and cook the cabbage until slightly wilted but still has a bite to it.
For The Mung Bean Noodles
Add the bundles of mung bean noodles to a pot of boiling water for approximately 3 minutes until they're soft.
Remove from heat, strain and rinse the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Set aside until you're ready to assemble the rolls.
For Assembling the Rolls
In order to rehydrate the rice paper sheets (this makes them pliable, which is necessary for rolling), fill a pan that's wide enough to fit one of the rice paper sheets with enough water that you can submerge one sheet in.
Now, you can start by setting up an assembly line with all of the ingredients. (In order of; Rice paper, chadon beni, cooked cabbage, cucumbers, carrots then mung bean noodles). You will also need a cutting board to use for rolling. This helps to quickly assemble the rolls, which is crucial for preventing the rice paper from getting too soft or tearing.
Submerge one rice paper sheet into the water until slightly soft. Note: If they are left too long in the water the paper will become too soft for rolling.
Place the softened rice paper sheet onto the cutting board.
Start by sprinkling some chadon beni about one-third from the bottom of the wrapper, and leave an inch or two open on the sides for folding.
Now, add some of the purple cabbage ontop of the chadon beni, then approximately four cucumber sticks, and four carrot sticks, then end with a chunk of mung bean noodles. Note: The mung bean noodles will be sticky, so you can use your hands to tear them for placing in the rolls.
Now to roll, gently fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling, while keeping the fillings closely- packed. Then fold the sides over and roll upwards, while tightly tucking for each rolling motion (this helps to keep the fillings compact, which prevents them from falling apart when cut or bitten into). Repeat these steps for each roll.
Serve immediately or soon after with the Sesame- Soy dipping sauce, or store the rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than one day. (The sauce can be stored for 2 weeks or more)
For The Sesame- Soy Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
5- 6 Pimentos, finely chopped
4- 5 Garlic Cloves, minced or finely diced
2 Inches Ginger Root, grated
2 Tbl Rice Wine Vinegar (unseasoned and unflavored)
1/4 Cup Agave
2 Tbl Sesame Oil (unseasoned)
1 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce (I used light Soy Sauce from https://www.kikkoman.com/en/
1/4 Cup Chadon Beni, finely chopped (or substitute for fresh chive or cilantro)
Method
Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir or whisk until well combined.
Serve with rice paper rolls, or store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tasty Tip: This sauce is so delicious you can use it for flavoring a variety of asian dishes.