Rice Paper Rolls.
The kind of dish that's too hard and too fiddly right? Besides how on Earth do you create the all-important dipping sauce with enough flavour and without too much fuss?
Well have I ever got a recipe for you...
A little spicy (but not too much because I'm a wuss) and a whole lot of delicious is this dish and now a firm favourite in our house.
You could easily swap the chicken out for tofu or prawns if you prefer, or simply for another version of the recipe.
Don't be put off by the perception that rice paper rolls are too fiddly and pain-staking because a 15 minute delicious lunch or dinner is right around the corner! The first time that I'd ever made a dipping sauce was when I originally came up with this idea - gosh I love when that happens! That in itself should tell you how easy it really is!! An added bonus to this recipe is that it can be made in advance, just be sure to refrigerate well. If you've made (or attempted) rice paper rolls in the past, my fool-proof method to activate the tapioca starch (what makes them soft) will hopefully ease your past pain!
When creating this at home, I like to prepare the chicken and while that's cooking, start on the vegetables and herbs; if you have some help in the kitchen, you could each take a job.
As I prepare each vegetable and herb, I make various piles or fill bowls to ensure seamless and simple rice paper rolling later on. As you get to picking the herbs, you may think I'm insane and there's just way too much, however this is where the awesome flavour and so many antioxidants are coming from so fear not! If you've got some leftover or BBQ chicken in the fridge, you could use that in the rolls as well.
Final tip - cut those veggies thinly! A few more minutes makes a world of difference!
Take this one to a summer BBQ or picnic, serve it as a Christmas appetiser or enjoy it for dinner at home (and lunch tomorrow!)
- 6 rice paper roll sheets
- 1 medium chicken breast
- 1 avocado
- 1 carrot
- 1 cucumber
- ½ bunch coriander
- ½ bunch mint
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
- Season chicken with salt, pepper & grill until cooked through
- Cut into long strips & set aside
- Wash & cut vegetables into long strips
- Wash & pick herbs off the stalk
- Combine all ingredients to make dipping sauce
- Submerge rice paper roll sheet one at a time into a frypan full of hot water for 5 seconds
- Transfer to a plate & allow to soften for up to 1 minute
- Layer ingredients onto rice paper roll sheet starting closest to you and being sure not to pack in too much
- Roll halfway, tuck in the sides & continue to roll
- Repeat the process with other sheets & serve with dipping sauce
- Store remaining fresh rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day
