Spring Rolls... MY Way.

Spring Rolls?? you ask.
Yep. Spring Rolls.
I love spring rolls.But, lets face it. Living out in the boonies, there are no spring rolls. If it isn't covered in BBQ sauce, Cream Gravy, Beer batter, or catchup, you ain't gonna find it.
Unless... You make it yourself.

The problem is.
I've never made spring rolls.
I mean, I've only been somewhere I could order them twice in my adult life!

So I set out to find the ingredients I needed to make my spring rolls.
I went to the three stores within 30 minutes of the farm.
I was able to find everything I needed EXCEPT the rice paper that makes a spring roll a spring roll!
I searched online and found out that the shipping on rice paper spring roll wrappers would end up costing me more than the wrappers themselves! grrrr

Luckily my Mother and my sister live in Houston.
Houston has Asian markets.
For Christmas they brought me a big supply of spring roll wrappers! yippee!

Today was the day I dove in and made spring rolls.

Let's make some spring rolls!

I gathered my Shrimp, Avocado, Rice noodles, Carrots, Spinach, Chives, and Cilantro.
And cut them to the appropriate sizes. (small and slender)
I found the rice noodles at my local grocery store. So the directions were clear. Soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes and let them soften. Easy.

Then came the rice paper wrappers....
You know.. the ones that Mom and Sis bought me at the Asian market?
Ummm did you know that rice paper wrappers bought at an Asian market do not have directions on the package in English?? oops!

So, I treated them just like I did the rice noodles and stuck them in a bowl of warm water.
After about 5 minutes, I checked them...
They were total mush!!! uh oh!

I tried again, and found out they only have to sit in the warm water for about 10 seconds!
Then they are super soft and stretchy and rippable.
I went through several before I got my first spring roll wrapped.

I laid the softened wrapper onto the table,
On one side I stacked some baby spinach leaves, carrot shreds, avocado slices, then topped the stack with some rice noodles.
Then in the center of the wrapper, I laid three cilantro leaves, and three sliced shrimp.

I folded the sides in towards the center, making sure they overlapped and stuck to each other.
I started wrapping the roll over the spinach stack and continued to tightly roll it over the shrimp stack, and stuck in a few chives as I went.

One thing I learned was that the wrapper sticks to itself, and this helps keep it together as you roll.
I ate them with Soy Sauce and Peanut Sauce. Yum!
I think they turned out great for my first attempt!
I had a wonderful lunch.
Step out of your comfort zone.
Make something that you have never made before!
It's fun and you may just surprise yourself!

We'll see what the kids think of them tonight.