On the weekend we like to treat ourselves to special meals. This doesn’t mean extravagent but more something we don’t have time to cook during the week, a dish we want to make sure we have time to enjoy or a dish that Proeun especially likes to make.

Spring Rolls are a really popular treat at many Asian stores. They are also a really great and fun way to get your veggies and not very difficult to make. The trick is working with the wraps. For these wraps purchase rice paper wraps. The come dried and stiff as a board in a flat round container about 1/2 inch thick. To rehydrate these just put them one sheet at a time in a bowl of warm water. I discovered last night when all my other bowls were used that an 8 inch round cake pan works perfectly. When they feel soft and supple they are ready to roll.

For noodles we use soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles) rather then traditional rice noodles. A restaurant down town Saint Paul introduced us to this and it adds a nice complex layer. Also chop lettuce, grate carrot and juliene cucumber (as we did this weekend) or add herbs, cilantro, green onion and mint are really nice. For meat sometimes deep fried tofu is added, steamed or barbequed chicken or pork and shrimp. You want all the ingredients to me room temperature or cold though–not hot. 

To wrap lay the softened rice paper out on a plate with a dish towel on it to soak up extra water. Take a very small handful of cooked noodles (try pinching between fingers and thumbs) and place a little lower then the center. Layer on the veggies, then fold over each side and begin rolling away from you. Sometimes they rip but you will develop the right touch.

Serve with Hoisin (Chinses barbeque sauce) and chopped peanuts. A lighter sauce of boiling together vinegar, sugar and garlic is also traditional.

I was surprised at how much Two liked these, he kept asking me to roll more and even asked for one with “just the veggies.”