Spring Rolls compose a solid 30% of the reason I go out to eat Thai food (the remaining 70% being a little something called, ahem, RED CURRY. I actually salivate just typing those words.) Yet the only reason I don’t rank spring rolls even higher in the Thai-food-craving department is because they’re exceptionally easy to make at home, which I do quite often. The simple rice paper wraps soften within just a few seconds in water (no cooking required), and can be filled with practically anything. What’s more, they’re absolutely ideal for showing off the crisp new produce of spring and summer, from fresh leafy greens, to aromatic herbs.
But anyone who’s ever had spring rolls will likely agree: the rolls themselves are really only a part of the equation. The more enticing part of the plate is actually the dipping sauce. I find the sauces served at traditional Thai restaurants monstrously addicting and fully fantastic, and am usually unable to control my double and triple dips into the stuff, despite a full knowledge of their exceedingly high sugar content.
Luckily, I need not make the same mistake at home. Instead of buying a bottled sweet chili sauce, where the first ingredient is usually sugar (let’s be real, it’s straight-up thick syrup with a couple of chilis thrown in), I like to make my own sauce that uses a much more wholesome and beneficial ingredient set. I balance a salty-sweet flavor by using pureed mango as the base, then enliven it with lime, red chili, and copious amounts of invigorating mint. Lastly, to really up the vitamin and mineral content, I add a big scoop of Amazing Grass Green Superfood, which may not impart a noticeable taste, but adds a mega-dose of green nutrition into every bite – it’s like eating a salad without having to actually eat a salad! In fact, I use this unique powdered blend — which includes alkalizing greens like wheatgrass and chlorella, as well as powerful antioxidant foods like beets and rose hips — on an almost daily basis in everything from smoothies, to desserts, to savory (and sweet) sauces. Speaking of savory and sweet sauces, let’s get rolling (ha!) with this recipe, yes?
SPRING ROLLS WITH MANGO-MINT DIPPING SAUCE
Filling yet refreshing, featuring clean and bright flavors, these rolls and their accompanying spicy herb sauce are the essence of spring in edible form. Get creative: you can add all kinds of additional ingredients to fill these versatile wraps, such as avocado, red bell pepper, or watercress.
Makes 4-6 meal-size servings
For the sauce:
2 cups diced mango
1 cup (packed) chopped fresh mint leaves
1 serving Amazing Grass Green Superfood, Original
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
For the rolls:
4 cups shredded green cabbage
2 sweet apples, (such as Pink Lady or Gala), cut into matchsticks
½ cup raw sesame seeds
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup edible flowers, such as pansy’s, nasturtiums, or violets (optional)
1 cup fresh mint leaves
3 carrots, shredded
20 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch batons
4 cups “spring mix” baby greens
20 rice paper wrappers
To make the sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth (it’s okay if a few larger pieces of red pepper remain). Taste for seasoning, adding additional sugar or salt if desired. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the wraps: In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, apples, sesame seeds, and lime juice. Assemble the remainder of your wrap-making station by lining up a bowl of edible flowers, a bowl of mint leaves, the cabbage slaw, a bowl of carrots, the cut tofu, and a bowl baby greens. Fill a large bowl with warm water, and have a cutting board and serving plate ready.
Submerge a rice paper wrap in the water for about 5 seconds, then lay it flat on the cutting board. A few inches from the edge closest to you, arrange a few flowers and mint leaves in a flat, horizontal line, leaving a couple inches on both the right and left side for the wrap to close. Line a couple generous spoonfuls of the slaw on top of the leaves, along with a little carrot, a baton or two of tofu, and top with a few baby greens. Pull the bottom edge of the wrap over the top of the filling, while gently compacting the interior contents. Roll the rice wrap up, tucking in the sides about halfway, to form a fully sealed wrap. Transfer the spring roll to the serving plate, and repeat the process for the remaining rolls. Slice in half on a diagonal for appetizers or serve whole, enjoyed with Mango-Mint Dipping Sauce on the side.
Note: For best flavor, spring rolls and sauce are best served on the same day they are made. Store any leftovers covered, in the refrigerator.
Amazing Grass has generously offered an exclusive discount to JulieMorris.net readers: Get 40% OFF your order with code JULIEMORRIS16 (you must create an account in order for the code to work). This post is sponsored by Amazing Grass – all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
