It may be spring on the calendar, but this weekend St. Louis is going to feel like summer. I say we eat like it! It’s easier to make Thai-style summer rolls at home than you might think. Filled with fresh veggies and shrimp, they’re perfect for a low-fat dinner.
Recipe Nutritional Information:
Calories per Serving: 461
Recipe Ingredients:
1 ¼ lbs poached colossal shrimp (about 20 pieces), store-bought
3 oz vermicelli rice noodles (thinner than capellini pasta)
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp water
8 rice-paper rounds (8-inch size)
24 fresh cilantro leaves
24 fresh mint leaves
1 seedless cucumber, peeled, cored, and cut into thin strips (matchsticks)
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
6 oz sweet chili sauce for dipping, store-bought
Preparation:
1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add rice noodles.
2. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
3. Strain and cool with water. Drain well.
4. Place them in a bowl and stick them in the fridge until you’re ready for them.
5. Cut shrimp in half length-wise and put them back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
6. For the vegetables, peel, core, and slice the cucumber and peel the carrot and coarsely grate using a box grater. Set both aside.
7. Pick cilantro and mint leaves from stems and set aside.
8. Use warm to hot water in a bowl to soften the rice paper. Work with one at a time (hold the very edge of the paper and gently dip into the water) – it should take about a minute for the paper to become pliable. When removing the rice paper from the water, place it on a wet paper towel on a plate or clean counter-top.
9. Begin to fill each one starting with the bottom third of the rice paper round so that you have room to roll up the summer roll when all of the ingredients are inside. (Tip: think burrito when assembling, it’s simple!)
Place shrimp in first with the pink side down, then noodles, herbs, cucumber, and carrots. Fold toward the center, tuck in each side, and continue to roll until it forms an enclosed packet.
10. Place the finished roll (seam side down) on a plate and cover with a moist paper towel. Repeat the process for all eight summer rolls.
To serve, place two summer rolls on each plate accompanied by a small ramekin of sweet chili sauce. Enjoy while thinking of the summer ahead!