Spring has finally sprung, and what better way to celebrate the season than with fresh and fabulous spring rolls. They’re fun to make, pretty to look at, and oh so delicious. Fact is, I love spring rolls any time of year. I’m actually beginning to think I’m obsessed with them. Here’s some of the evidence:
In my Global Vegan column in the current issue of VegNews Magazine the subject is spring rolls. (By the way, I hope you’ll try my recipe for Vietnamese Spring Rolls in that article — they are so good!)
During the last two visits to my favorite Thai restaurant, all I wanted for lunch was spring rolls and more spring rolls.
A few days later, I still had a taste for more, so I made some for lunch. This time I filled them with red leaf lettuce, rice noodles, cilantro, mango, and avocado. Dipped in a spicy-sweet chili sauce, the flavor was sublime. But I know it’s only a matter of time before I crave them again. In fact, I’m already craving them again.
So why do I love spring rolls? Let me count the ways:
1. They’re self-contained packets making them easy to pick up and eat.
2. They get dipped in a yummy dipping sauce (always a plus).
3. They’re made with fresh, healthful ingredients.
4. They have a great combination of textures and flavors: at once crunchy, chewy, sweet, and spicy.
5. They’re like eating a wonderful salad, only fun because you can eat them with your hands.
I’m totally hooked! Is anyone else as spring-roll obsessed as I am?
{ 7 comments… add one }
How funny you wrote this! I made spring rolls for dinner last night. At first the boyfriend complained because they’re an “appetizer” but soon shut up after we each ate 5 rolls. Well, more like I had 6 and he had 4 :). I used your recipe for the dipping sauce in VegNews, and it was a hit, so thanks again! I had to use different fillings based on what I had…baked tofu, savoy cabbage sauteed in ginger, sesame oil, and garlic, shredded carrots and julienned de-seeded cucumber. Oh, and some spinach leaves. A few ripped, but since it was just us we didn’t mind the messiness.
We’re definitely obsessed with spring rolls and have them fairly often. We used to buy them from a food cart on campus, but they’re so easy to make and taste so much better with our ingredients, we make them at home. I’ve never tried them with mango! I’ll go back to my VegNews and look for your recipe.
Clea: You hit on another great reason to love spring rolls — you can fill them with whatever you have on hand.
Andrea: I agree that spring rolls made at home often taste better than ones you can buy. And to clarify, the recipe in VegNews calls for tofu and different veggies — I just used mango and avocado when I made them for lunch the other day. (It’s all good!)
umm yes! i am obsessed. join the club.
I’m addicted to them and loved your recipe on the current VegNews magazine. Can’t wait to try! Sounds delicious.
Oh, am I ever!
I’ve had spring rolls for lunch a lot this week…they are so easy and so fresh. Yum!!