Foodie blog #1: Easy and Healthy HomeMade Spring Rolls (how to)

Hello Steemians!   

Lately, I've been craving for some vietnamese springs rolls. It is one of my favourite appetizer dish and very easy to make at home.  Everyone has a different way of making spring rolls, so I'd love to share with you all how I make home made spring rolls.  This is my version of how to make spring rolls.   Hope you enjoy!!   

Gather your Ingredients: (You will be able to make about 15-20 springrolls depending how full you make them)

1. Lettuce
2. Vietnamese Rice paper
3. Vietnamese Chicken sausage (can be substituted with any of your favorite meat)
4. Any bag of shrimp
5. Vermicelli  Noodle
6. Cucumber    

Wash and prep your ingredients. 

Bring a saucepan to a boil and add your rice noodles. Cook until ready. The easiest way to tell if the noodles are cooked is to taste it! Should be soft but not too soft, just like how you would cook spaghetti noodles. Remember to stir the noodles so it will not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once done, drain into the water with a strainer.   

In another saucepan bring to a boil and cook your shrimp for 10-15 seconds. Rinse and remove all shells. Cut your vegetables and meat into thin strips.    

You will need very hot water water in a bowl for your rice paper. Please be cautious because the water is HOT and that is why I use a fork to dip and pull out the rice paper! Bring out extra plates to make the spring rolls and to place the completed spring rolls. 

How to Roll the spring rolls:   

1. Using warm water, dip your rice paper in for 5 seconds. The rice paper should come out softly. 
2. Lay the rice paper on a non-stick platter and you're ready to wrap.    
3.  Place the lettuce as a base and add the rest of the ingredients on top. BE careful not to overfill or else the rice paper will tear and be difficult to fold.
4.  Take the bottom of the rice paper and gently fold over the ingredients until covered. 
5. Fold in each sides
6.  Roll up again. 
7. Voila!! You have made your first spring roll!   
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for the rest of the spring rolls. 

All spring rolls need a good dipping sauce. There's 2 dipping sauces that I like to prepare.  Spicy peanut dipping sauce and Peanut dipping sauce! 

Sauce Ingredients: 

1. Hoison sauce
2. Fish sauce
3. Thai chili peppers
4. Lemon
5. Cilantro 
6. Peanut butter
7. Green onions (optional)
8. Sriracha sauce   

How to make Spicy peanute butter dipping sauce:    You will need a mortar and pestle set for this so if you don't have one I recommend buying it from your local asian grocery store. If not, use anything that you can use to crush the peppers. 

1. Remove the chili peppers stem and place it on the mortar. 
2. Add pinch of salt. 
3. Crushed until it is very fine. 
4. Add your cilantro, *green onions, fish sauce (1 teaspoon) and whole lemon juice. (* For the green onions, I only use half of the green stems). Use the pestle and crush gently. 
5. My mortar was too small so I transfer the ingredients to a bowl. 
6. Add peanut butter (1 or 2 tablespoon)
7.  Slightly stir and done.     
8. Finished!    

How to make the Peanut dipping sauce: 

1. Add 2 or 3 tablespoon of water to the saucepan using low to medium heat
2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of peanut butter,  sriracha (1 teaspoon) and hoison sauce (1 teaspoon)
3. Stir and done (Optional: you can add crushed peanuts if you want a crunchy texture)

If the peanut butter is too thick, add more water. Depending on your taste, you can add more hoison sauce if you want a sweet taste or more sriracha sauce if you want to spice it up a bit.  For anyone that is allergic to peanuts, you can just keep it simple and use Hoisin Sauce or any sauce you might like to eat your spring rolls with.  Also for any Vegans out, there just substitute any meat with tofu or any of your favorite vegetables.  

Bon appetite!! Enjoy the Steem Rolls!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you try this recipe. Share with your friends and family. If anyone tries this out, feel free to share pictures of your homemade spring rolls. 

PLEASE UPVOTE, RESTEEM AND FOLLOW ME @xredsoulless !!!!