Spring Rolls with Walnut Sauce
DESCRIPTION
These fresh Asian spring rolls combine chopped California walnuts, smoked salmon, shaved vegetables, and light rice noodles all wrapped up and ready for a spicy, tangy walnut dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Spring roll
- 1/3 cup California walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup cellophane (rice) noodles
- 2-3 cups water
- 1/2 avocado, sliced thin
- 2 - 3 red leaf lettuce leaves
- 4 sheets rice-paper
- 4 thin slices smoked salmon
- 1/2 medium cucumber, sliced in long thin strips
- 1/4 medium carrot, sliced in long thin sticks
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
Walnut paste
- 1 cup California walnuts
- 3 tablespoons beet sugar (can substitute white granulated sugar)
Walnut dipping sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese chili bean sauce (commonly found in the Asian cuisine section of a grocery store)
- 1 tablespoon walnut paste
Preparation
Spring roll
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Toast walnuts on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Stir halfway through so they heat evenly.
- Cook cellophane noodles per package instructions; rinse in cold water and drain. Thoroughly remove excess water with a paper towel.
- Cut the avocado into thin slices and sprinkle with lime juice. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to prevent browning.
- Wash the red leaf lettuce and remove the core. Tear into easy to wrap pieces (approximately 2 x 4 inch pieces).
- Fill a fairly large dish with water and dip the rice paper in it for approximately 15 seconds. Once lightly moistened all over, remove the rice paper and place on the cutting board, lined with a thin dish towel.
- Place lettuce in center of wrapper, then remaining ingredients on top of lettuce. Pull the bottom end up to cover ingredients. Fold in the left and right sides. Roll up toward the open end and seal with water. Slice salad rolls in half and service with walnut dipping sauce.
Walnut paste
- Blend the walnuts with the sugar in food processor until smooth. Set aside 1 tablespoon in small bowl. Cover remaining walnut paste and refrigerate for another use.
Walnut dipping sauce
- In a bowl add fish sauce, lime juice and Chinese chili bean sauce to reserved 1 tablespoon of walnut paste, and combine until smooth.