Summer Rolls

Also known as garden rolls or spring rolls, the un-fried variety, this appetiser is not only fun to make, but it's tasty too! This dish is great made ahead for parties, but the fresher the rolls the better. I've made the dish numerous times, both with family, or by myself while watching a corny movie or a cooking show. 
Garden rolls are all about what's inside, never use canned or frozen vegetables, all the vegetables should be fresh, but there are quite a few different varieties of vegetables that you can chose from. In the recipe below, I've included some of my favourites, but you can leave out ingredients that your supermarket doesn't have or that you dislike, or add in veggies you love. So you don't like tofu? Leave it out! Half the time I'm too lazy to prepare the tofu any ways,  but if you're marinating tofu for dinner, you might as well include it. Other popular ingredients include zucchini, red or green pepper, black or white fungus, lettuce, red cabbage....and the list goes on.
Perfect for the summer because there is no frying or baking involved, just cutting and rolling, but also great whenever you want to bring a a fresh note to a Thai meal or need an appetizer for a dinner party.

Serves: 8 rolls

 

Ingredients

8 sheets large rice paper rounds

fresh cilantro, Thai basil and/or mint
1 small green onion, just the greens, sliced lengthwise, 1-2mm thick
1/4 cuccombre, julienned
1 small carrot, fine julienne or shaved
2 large handfuls of bean sprouts
2 large handfuls of snow peas
half a package of enoki mushrooms
handful of greens (such as lettuce, or swiss chard greens used here)
1/4 yellow pepper, julienned
16 pieces of tofu (~1/4 of a brick), cut à l'alumette (about the size of your pinky finger), marinated 
Glass noodles, one small sachet, or 1 cup cooked.

Sauce to serve, such as sweet thai chilli or vegetarian hoisin sauce

Preparation

Marinate the tofu as needed, I followed the Marinated Tofu Recipe.
Wash all vegetables and cut appropriately.
Cook glass noodles until aldente, drain and set aside.
Wash counter or table and arrange all items around your work area.
Fill a large pan or dish with warm water to soak the rice paper.
One at a time, soak rice paper for about 15 seconds, then transfer to clean work area.
Layer on the vegetables, starting with the herbs and greens and finishing with the glass noodles, leaving at least an inch at each end.
To close, fold each end up over the vegetables, then fold over the one side. Be gentle, but firm enough that you create a tight roll. If you are right handed, and if you're vegetables lie vertically, close the bottom and top first then fold over the right side so you can roll to the left. Normally, this will let you achieve tighter rolls, alternatively, you can lie your veg horizontally and roll upwards.
Repeat as needed, you may wish to do more than one at a time.
Cover with seran wrap until ready to serve.

Enjoy with friends and family