We had guests over the weekend. I like to cook for people when they stay with me. However, these folks were busy with a conference, so they were in and out all weekend. I figured Sunday would be a good day to cook for them. (I did not know that they would be having dinner at the conference as well).
I planned to make Spring Rolls, and an orientalish fried brown rice. A light but filling “snack.” I had all the ingredients but one. Red Fresno (or red jalepeno) chilis. I live in Southern Arizona, I ought to be able to find a fresh red chili somewhere.
I went to 10 grocer outlets. TEN! I spent almost three hours on this hunt, and I could not find a red hot chili any where, no japones, fresnos, jalepenos, nothing. I was distraught. I finally found, to my culinary terror, a jar of red jalepenos. I purchased it praying that they were hot enough for the chili dipping sauce I was making for the Spring rolls. Sometimes a chef has to improvise.
I returned to my kitchen to slice, dice and create my culinary delights. The experiment to use water to close up the wraps worked for my partner’s vegan diet. The others received the standard egg wash.
This dish is a variation from the cookbook “Vegetarian”, edited by Nicola Graimes. This book is virtually a bible for vegetarian cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cooked Brown Rice
- 1/2 cup carrots
- 1/2 cup celery
- 2 tbsp Ginger, minced
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Process
Thinly slice carrots and celery on the bias (diagonal cuts). In a clean wok, add 2 tbsp of oil, let it get hot. Add the celery, carrots, ginger and garlic. Saute on a high heat until vegetables become tender, but still have a bite. (al dante). Mix in the rice, and salt and pepper. Serve with Spring rolls and dipping sauce.
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Ingredients
Spring Rolls
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- 1/2 cup Carrots
- 1/2 cup Celery
- 1/2 cup Red onion
- 1/2 cup Zucchini
- 1/2 cup Yellow squash
- 1/2 cup Bean sprouts
- 3-4 Scallions
- 1/2 inch ginger finely shredded
- 4-5 Garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 tsp Cilantro finely minced
- 1/2 tsp Dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
- 1 pkg Rice Noodles, cooked
- 1 pkg egg roll wrappers
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Dipping Sauce
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- 1/2 cup Rice vinager
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 4-5 tbsp Water
- 1-2 Birds eye or Cayenne Chilis
Process
Spring Rolls
Slice all the vegetables. Keep separate. Preheat a wok on high, and add safflower oil. Let the oil get hot. Bring the heat to medium flame, and add the carrots, celery and onion. Saute until tender. Add zucchini, squash, garlic and ginger, saute until soft. Add bean sprouts and half the scallion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the cilantro at the last minute with a splash of rice vinager. Let cool.
Lay out the egg roll wraps. Add a bit of noodle and a bit of the veggie mixture. Roll the wraps like a burrito, so that both ends are sealed. Do this until you run out of mixture and noodles.
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pot. Make sure the temperature is near 400 degrees. Fry the Spring rolls until golden brown. A few at a time depending on what kind of pot you are using. Drain on paper towels.
Put the rice in a mound on the plate, cut the Spring Rolls in half on the bias. Place the Spring Rolls around the rice. Garnish with the left over scallions and cilantro. Serve with dipping sauce to hungry diners.
Dipping Sauce
Mix all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves, bring to a light boil. Boil until mixture becomes a syrup. Remove from heat and let cool.
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