Life is hard, food should be easy

I’m on a roll—and you could be, too, if you whip up these wonderfully spicy summer rolls. Wondering what the difference is between spring and summer rolls? It comes down to cooking: A summer roll is served cold whereas a spring roll is cooked. Also, the summer variation uses rice flour-based paper. I love that this recipe packs in so many delicious summer standouts, including mango, basil, cucumbers and avocado. Check out the recipe notes to become a wrap star and then feel free to enjoy all season long.

A few recipe notes: • If your roll splits apart, you may have left the paper in the water too long. It usually takes about 10 to 15 seconds to soften, and if your water is hot, it may need even less time, only 7 to 8 seconds.

• The paper will continue to soften as you pile up your ingredients. If you’re too slow to roll, you may want to submerge or 7 to 8 seconds.

• Make sure to remove any tough stems on ingredients so they don’t poke through and slice the paper.

• Try to avoid using too much filling. It should be full, but too much can stretch the paper wrapper and cause tears.

• Use a light hand and try to avoid using your fingernails as you roll.

*Sometimes called Vietnamese spring roll wrappers, or spring rolls skin.

Prepare all the ingredients and lay them out in front of you before beginning to roll.

Prepare your rice paper wrapper, working with 1 sheet at a time, by submerging into warm water until it just begins to soften, about 10-15 seconds. Remove the wrapper from the warm water and place on a large dinner plate, or any flat surface that won’t stick. About ⅓ of the way down the wrapper, line the ingredients up evenly along the width of the rice paper, place 1 to 2 pieces of lettuce, 2 cucumber sticks, 2 slices avocado, 2 to 3 slices mango, a few basil or mint leaves, a few slices of jalapeno, and a small pile of vermicelli noodles.

Fold summer roll by rolling it up “burrito-style,” folding the side closest to you up and over the filling, tucking in sides, and continuing to carefully tuck-and-roll paper around the filling, into a neat roll. Repeat until you’ve used up all ingredients and serve immediately with preferred dipping sauce.

Serve with my Sesame Dipping Sauce.

Nutrition information provided for 1 roll.

This site does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.