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Please don’t ask me where salad rolls end and spring or summer rolls begin, because I have no clue. I really don’t.

this is my set up for making salad rolls

I just like them, because they taste good and don’t make me feel bad about myself, and I thought since it’s quickly warming up that it would be good to share something that won’t over heat the kitchen during preparation.

First, I julienne the carrots. Josey cooked the pork sausage. Then I rinse, shake, and wrap the cilantro in a dry cloth, and soften the noodles in hot water before transferring them into a new bowl in cold water. Then I put some hot (but not boiling– definitely not boiling) water into the pie dish. And a kettle of hot (but not boiling) water.

I did attempt to take pictures of the in progress stages, but I found out it’s pretty difficult to roll and hold and snap a clear picture at the same time. If the husband is willing I’ll try to get him to take a few snaps while I make rolls tomorrow.

My excuse for not having pictures of the finished rolls is completely valid, I had a hungry family and they tend to have epic levels of not-giving-a-rat’s-tiny-bottom just prior to lunch when it comes to my blog.

The system is pretty simple, get a clean flour sack towel, or kitchen towel or bar rag (so long as it’s clean) wet it and pop it into the microwave until it’s warm, squeeze out any excess water and put it over a cutting board. Take fresh rice paper round, wet it completely in the hot water on both sides and lay it out on the cloth.

Then arrange your veggies, protein, and noodles as you like. I roll the 6 o’ clock position up once, tightly, and then fold both the left and right flaps in carefully, before rolling all the way to noon. It takes a bit of practice to wrap as tightly as possible, but the wrappers (once softened with water) are very stretchy when they are fresh.I used cellophane noodles this time, but ordinary vermicelli noodles or rice noodles will work in a pinch.

the wrapper is there, on the towel, I swear it

Even though these are pork, I also like shrimp when they can be found fresh at a good price, or chopped roasted peanuts, or even tofu scrambled up with a splash of chili oil and oyster sauce. I guess it depends on what strikes your fancy. Vegetables are interchangeable too; mung bean sprouts, carrots, mashed yams, peppers, red beans, onions, cucumber, egg plant, cabbage. Do I have to mention there are no hard and fast rules on the herbs used either? I like cilantro; but mint, parsley chives, lemon grass and basil all work so long as they are fresh.

I know the round doesn’t show up well in the photo but the carrots and noodles are on the 6 o’ clock side, and the cilantro about an inch from the edge of noon (if you can’t see it in the picture, just try to trust me on this) that way when the roll is stuffed and rolled completely the bright color of the cilantro shows through best. Rose petals and borage or other edible flowers look really pretty on the noon too.

I usually just put these on the table family style over a bed of crispy fried noodles with peanut sauce and hoisin sauce or some hot soy sauce. They usually don’t last long enough for me to worry about keeping them in the fridge but they can be stored over night wrapped in a moist towel (so that the rolls do not touch each other, if they touch they will bond and become conjoined salad rolls.)