Vegetarian Spring Rolls With Shredded Kohlrabi
Spring Rolls have been hit or miss for my taste buds in the past. Sometimes I like them, but sometimes I feel they have a weird flavor. These Spring Rolls I made were a hit. The fresh herbs make these not only healthy but extremely tasty.
I could eat these things every night. And we almost have. We have had these for leftovers 3 nights in a row! So delish!
I subscribe to Chow Share, a service provided by Chow Locally that brings to you 7-10 varieties of local produce every week. In a recent Chow Share, I received Kohlrabi. I was so excited to figure out something fun to do with this alien-looking plant because I had never cooked with it before. These Spring Rolls include this cool vegetable. If you can't find any Kohlrabi, you can substitute julienned cucumbers.
Happy Vegetarian Spring Rolls!
Vegetarian Spring Rolls With Shredded Kohlrabi
makes 7
- 1 3/4 ounces thin rice sticks
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1/2 pound kohlrabi, peeled and shredded (make sure to remove fibrous layer just under the skin before shredding) or cucumber (julienned)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, cut in julienne
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus 14 sprigs
- 2 tablespoons slivered mint leaves, plus 7 to 14 leaves
- 7 8 1/2-inch rice flour spring roll wrappers
- 4 Tablespoons shopped roasted + salted peanuts
Peanut Dipping Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1-2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Rolls:
1. Place the rice sticks in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes, or until the noodles are pliable, and drain. Transfer the noodles to another bowl. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles in half, into roughly 6-inch lengths. Leave the warm water in the bowl for softening the wrappers.
2. Meanwhile, toss the shredded kohlrabi with salt to taste and let sit in a colander placed in the sink for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid and toss with the carrot, ginger, chopped cilantro and slivered mint.
3. One at a time, place a rice flour wrapper in the bowl of warm water until just softened. Remove from the water and drain briefly on a kitchen towel. Place the softened wrapper on your work surface and place a small handful of noodles just below the middle of the wrappers, then place a handful of the shredded vegetable mixture over the noodles. Lay a couple of sprigs of cilantro and a couple of mint leaves on top. Fold the sides of the wrapper over the filling, then roll up tightly. Arrange on a plate, sprinkle with chopped peanuts and mint and cilantro, drizzle with peanut sauce, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with a side of peanut sauce for dipping.
Nutritional information per serving: less than 122 calories (as the original recipe called for tofu, but I like these better without); 2 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 23 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 298 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 5 grams protein
Peanut Dipping Sauce:
1. Whisk together all ingredients except peanut butter. Add peanut butter one Tablespoon at a time according to how thick you prefer the sauce. I prefer it to runny and not too thick.
Recipe Source: New York Times.
