Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls with Filipino Garlic Sauce Recipe

Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls with Filipino Garlic Sauce Recipe

  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp (25 ml) minced garlic
  • 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • ½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp (20 ml) soya sauce
  • ¼ tsp (1 ml) black pepper
  • 2 ½ tbsp (35 ml) rice vinegar or 3 tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
  • 2 ½ tsp (12 ml) cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
  • Half package (2 oz [50 g]) bean threads (optional)
  • 3 oz (75 g) string bean
  • 3 oz (75 g) pea pods (snow peas)
  • 3 oz (75 g) bean sprouts
  • 2 oz (50 g) carrot julienne
  • 3 oz (75 g) jicama julienne
  • 1 oz (25 g) red bell pepper julienne
  • 12 sheets “rice paper” wrappers
  • 6 leaf lettuce leaves, cut in half
  • ¼ cup (50 ml) loosely packed Thai basil leaves (optional)
  1. In a saucepan heat oil over low heat; cook garlic 2 minutes without browning. Stir in stock, sugar, soya sauce and peppper; increase heat to simmer and cook 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute. Stir in cornstarch mixture; cook 30 seconds or until thickened. Transfer to a serving bowl; cool to room temperature.
  2. Soak bean threads, if using, in cold water to cover until pliable. Bring a pot with 4 cups (1 L) water to a boil. Blanch the bean threads for 20 seconds, the beans (2 minutes), pea pods (30 seconds), bean sprouts (5 seconds) and carrots (30 seconds), rinsing them all in cold water immediately after blanching to stop further cooking; drain and dry vegetables. Cut beans and pea pods into julienne by cutting lengthwise on a very oblique diagonal. Mix bean threads, beans, pea pods, bean sprouts, carrots, jicama and red pepper.
  3. Fill a large bowl with warm water and soak 1 wrapper until soft. Place wrapper on dry cloth, put a lettuce leaf half over it, make a line of 3 or 4 basil leaves and cover with vegetables; roll into a cylinder, tucking in the edges as you roll. Put on a tray and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Serve with garlic sauce on the side to be spooned over just before eating or, if serving the spring rolls as finger food, to be dunked into.
  4. Variation:
  5. Strips of cold boiled, roasted or Chinese-style barbecued pork make a very nice addition to the spring rolls, as does cold poached shrimp.
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