This time last year we were in Bangkok. We had just gotten there and were elated with the idea of spending the winter and Christmas in a nice warm climate.
This year we are stuck in cold miserable Montreal which used to be great in summer but it seems the city will never be the same.
I wanted to remind myself of those wonderful warm days in Bangkok, my most favorite city that I have ever been to. Also I was born there.
So today I made fresh spring rolls that I have had in Thai restaurants in Canada and also Thailand. It's a fun way to eat salad. We have been lacking in raw veggies lately. Here right now, the fresh produce is all imported and the organic produce is limited in variety. I envy those folk who can grow their own.
The spring rolls were made with rice paper wrappers which I have used from time to time, but I realized today, that I don't need to use warm water like I have in the past. In fact room temperature water worked. I had a few bad ones that I tossed aside. This is something that I need practice with. They are so delicate.
You can't be fooled by the way they feel when you take them out. They seem stiff after 10 seconds but they soften up as they sit while you fill them. It was trial and error for me.
To fill them I used leaf lettuce, which is usually the lettuce used for many things in Asia, carrots, radish, cucumber, fresh Thai basil, fresh mint, fresh coriander, green onions. I also used brown rice vermicelli which I presoaked in water until they were soft enough. It was about ten minutes. I usually use bean thread but I tried these instead and they were a little more difficult to work with because they are not as sticky. It was worth the struggle for something different.
I rolled these by pulling up the bottom gently and tucking while trying not to break the rice paper. Then I folded the edges like an envelope.
I would have liked to add peanuts to the filling but I forgot to get them when I was last at the grocery store. I have been reluctant to run into the cold damp gray streets of the concrete jungle where I live, so I made a peanut dipping sauce to compensate. I think I would have made it anyway since I am a peanut lover.
I started with garlic, chilies, and ginger.
I added some dry chili to the pan as well as fresh chili. I find that nothing is very spicy these days. We can't find spicy chilies anymore. I grew some hot chilies this summer when we lived with my in laws and they didn't have a hint of spice.
I transferred the garlic ginger and peppers to a blender and added 1 cup cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, 1 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, juice of 2 limes, 3 tablespoons agave nectar and 5 dates.
The amounts were approximate. I like to taste and add as I go to get what I'm looking for.
I garnished the sauce with more chilies. Can you tell we need some excitement right now?
It could have had a protein in it like tofu for people like me that don't eat animal products but I wanted to keep it light this time. It was just an afternoon snack.
The flavors of cilantro, Thai basil and mint are very refreshing and work really well in these spring rolls. I learned about this combo from having them in restaurants.
The best part of this is that it's gluten free. I don't have a noticeable intolerance but I like to eat mostly gluten free.
I long for the moment when I can order a fresh spring rolls in Bangkok again in an outdoor setting perhaps, watching the bustling life in the streets.
Well thanks for stopping by friends!
@tipu curate :)
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 11/22) Liquid rewards.
Thank you!
Wow! Impressive! I can’t do this! Everything will scatter in all directions!! 😂😂😂
Haha I doubt that very much but I do struggle with it quite a bit. I haven't had much practice.
Thank you very much @mayvileros!
When I see your spring rolls it make me want to eat lettuce.
I have never heard a child say they want to eat lettuce. I love that. You two are the best kids ever!
These look amazing. We call these 'cold rolls' in Australia, probably to differentiate them from the cooked spring rolls. These are so much more refreshing than the cooked oily ones, though.
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Thank you very much @minismallholding!
Yum. I love these - very popular in Australia too. You must miss Bangkok. So many of us are looking at holidays overseas and longing for times of old! It's weird isn't it, not being able to travel! But at least we have global food to give us a little taste of the places we call home.
I fear I may never travel again, so I am thankful that I was able to make the trip last year. If I had put it off I may never have returned to see my birth place.
Thanks@riverflows!
Congrats for inspiring people to live a healthy lifestyle! Keep it up!
Nice of you to say. Thank you @askmihai!
How's the lockdown going?
More strict in a few weeks they say. Very frustrating and sad for the losses that the people are going through. Plus it's very cold temperatures for the homeless.
The lockdown is based on the theory that there is a dangerous virus.
i have a curiosity:
What's the proof for the theory that we have a new virus so dangerous that we have to wear masks?