This scrummy recipe is based on my Spicy Asian Noodle Salad, and is another way of serving the salad. I love Vietnamese rice wrappers, and this makes a supremely portable healthy picnic dish, or a lunch on the run. The dipping sauce is based on my Sweet Chilli Sauce but with the addition of sweet cherry tomatoes for added sweetness and flavour. This is great to make a batch on a Sunday and take to work over the week for lunch on the hoof. Or serve as a healthy but nice dinner party starter for an Asian themed meal.
Makes around 10 -12 rolls
30 g sea vegetable 'pasta'
100g thin rice vermicelli/noodles
1 large organic 'heritage' carrot, julienned (purple)
1 large organic orange carrot, julienned
1 red organic pointed Romano pepper, julienned
2 tbs chopped chives or spring onions
2 tbs vegan or Fish sauce or tamari sauce to taste
black sesame seeds
packet of rice wrappers
** 1 cup Healing Intent
For the spiced cashews
60 g organic cashews
1/2 tsp crushed chilli
1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp coconut oil
For the caramelised shallots
leftover oil from cashews
4 - 5 Asian shallots, finely sliced
1/2 tsp date syrup
sprinkle of pink Himalayan salt
For the Sweet Chilli Sauce
3 birds eye Thai red chilli, roughly chopped (to taste).
1 large organic red pepper, roasted
8 sweet cherry tomatoes
2 cloves organic garlic (to taste)
2 tbs organic extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs raw organic cider vinegar
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 tbs raw organic honey,
1. Cook the seaweed according to instructions in boiling water for around 15 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of filtered water and leave for around 30 minutes. This helps reduce the overwhelming 'fishy' flavour. For the sauce roast the red peppers in an oven set at 180 C for 40 minutes until soft. Let cool and peel and discard seeds and skin.
2. Soak the rice vermicelli in a bowl of filtered water for at least an hour. The vermicelli should have some bite but not be raw inside. If you use boiling water to soak the noodles, they will be overly soft.
3. Combine the noodles, seaweed, carrot, red pepper and spring onion/chives in a large bowl.
4. For the spicy cashews, melt the coconut oil over a medium heat in a pan and add the cashews, tossing them in the crushed chilli for about 2 minutes. When lightly toasted, remove and sprinkle with salt.
5. In the leftover oil, add the shallots and cook over a low heat until soft. Add the date syrup and continue to cook until caramelised and crisp. Keep the heat low, otherwise they will burn. This takes around 20 minutes. When cooked, lightly salt.
6. For the chilli dressing, place all the ingredients into a blender beaker and with a hand-blender blitz it all up.
7. Put the vegetables and vermicelli in a bowl and add the fish or Tamari sauce and toss well.
8. Take a large dinner plate and add some boiling water. To assemble the rolls, place a rice wrapper in the water and leave for 30 seconds to become hydrated and limp. Carefully place the softened rice wrapper on a board and add a 'sausage' of the filling at the bottom of the wrapper, nearest to you, and finish with a sprinkling of shallots and cashews. Fold the sides over the filling and roll the wrapper away from you, keeping the roll tight. Sprinkle with black sesame. If you are making a batch, you will need to replenish the water regularly.
9. Once rolled, leave for a couple of hours in the fridge before serving to allow the wrapper to become a little more substantial. Cut into half and serve with the dipping sauce.
Enjoy!
** Healing Intent: when cooking foods to heal the body it is important to set your intent. The best way to do this is imagine that you are cooking this dish for yourself or for someone you love who is very ill and that this dish is the only thing that will help in their healing. You will find that the way you handle the food will change, and will not only result in a better dish, but you will feel the food actually nourishing your body and spirit.