Ever since I made these Salad Rolls I have had this Northern Pikes’ song in my head! I fits perfectly with this foodie disaster.
I wanted to try making salad rolls with rice paper because I have never worked with it before. I bought a package and my mom got me all freaked out by saying, did you get the good kind? The bad kind are horrible! Um….I had no idea! That kind of stricken me with foodie fear and they went into my cupboard and disappeared for a while. Yes, I get intimidated all the time. New stuff is intimidating but I knew it was time, time to bring them out of the cupboard.
First I chopped up all the vegetables that would make the filling: carrots, orange pepper, napa cabbage, green onions, bean sprouts and parsley. I decided not to use king crab just in case they were a disaster, I used the fake crab which unlike a lot of people, I like and eat all the time. My wallet has confirmed this was a very wise decision.
So if you want to try making salad rolls from rice paper, this is what the package looks like. Make sure they are all in one piece, not broken.
You dip the rice paper in warm water for five to ten seconds which will soften it, it does look cool, doesn’t it?
The problem was not with the rice paper, I did not mind the wrap at all. The problem was with the recipe. The dipping sauce was citrus-based which I normally do not like but I tried it just in case and nope, did not like it. I used regular sweet and sour sauce which usually makes everything taste good and nope, still did not like it.
When I examined what it was that I actually hated was the components inside that were too strong: green onions, parsley and peanuts. They completely overwhelmed the dish and instead of it coming together like a cohesive salad, all I could taste were painfully strong components! I can honestly say I hated this dish.
I know there are delicious salad roll recipes out there and I have a lot of rice paper leftover so if you have a recipe you would like to recommend, I would appreciate a link.
I will not despair. I will not give up. Bring on to the next foodie challenge!
Don’t you hate food disasters? Particularly when you spend so much time making the meal!
Here’s a favorite in our family. Please forgive the quality of the photos. It was one of my first posts.
http://cookincanuck.blogspot.com/2009/04/spring-rolls.html
Based on your Asian-inspired posts, I made potstickers and pad thai (a favourite of my hubby’s) on Sunday. Of course, all I had was rice paper exactly like yours, so the potstickers did not hold up well in the pan. But, it was a lot of fun and I, like you, did not mind the rice paper at all. I still have a good part of a package left, so maybe I will try salad rolls with them next!
I was going to suggest using a Thai peanut sauce but, then again, perhaps not!
A few months ago, I made a heart-healthy crab dish with a light “cream” sauce. I got the recipe from a magazine and apart from the fact I thought it sounded good, I felt confident it was; certainly, someone had tested it out, right?
It was horrid. We didn’t even save the leftovers. The only way I saw to save it was to make it distinctly unhealthy (which defeated the purpose), so I tossed the recipe into the recycle bin!
Interesting! I take it rice papers are 100% rice which would make them -gluten-free for me. I can’t have fake crab, though, it has gluten. I loved getting spring rolls with peanut sauce at the Vietnamese restaurant and would love to find a way to make my own so this is handy!
Hmmm…Remove the Parsley from the mix. Replace with Cilantro(Basil is nice too-Thai Basil if available). Add the Green from the Scallions to the Sauce and Julienne the Whites and add them to the Roll. Napa Cabbage, Carrot, Mango(can be green-a little more tart), Cucumber, Diakon or normal radish and Fresh Ahi Tuna or Seafood of Choice. I usually quickly blanch the hard veg I am putting into them. Roll.
I usually serve it with a spicy Peanut Sauce…Sambal based heat.
Oh Suzie, they really are beautiful, Christine Cushing should use your photo instead, it’s so much nicer. Sorry to hear they didn’t taste so good though, very frustrating! And thanks, now I have that Northern Pikes song stuck in my head as well!LOL
I’ve had the same, disappointing, success with salad spring rolls so now I use this recipe but I substitute mango for the papaya – I find papaya rather flavourless. Also, I do not like the peanut sauce included with the recipe so I use another recipe that I will send you in an email as I have no idea where it came from. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Papaya-Spring-Rolls-with-Peanut-Sauce-109562 This is always a huge hit when I serve it – even with people who think they don’t like spring rolls.
I hate when that happens! There is nothing worse than spending all the time and money and then going “YUCK!”
At least your pictures are pretty…no one would ever know! 😉
I’ll try to find the recipe James and I made at the Asian Market’s cooking class… James loved them, and I tolerated them LOL Who knows, you might love them too? It’s worth a shot.
In other news… I’ve missed you. Sorry I kind of abandoned blogging for so long.
So sad they didn’t taste good, after all that work. And they are so beautiful!
I have used this recipe and it was completely lovely. You’ve inspired me to make them again!
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=604766
try these! There is a link somewhere in the recipe for a DELICIOUS peanut sauce. I make these all the time, the sauce is the best part.
http://thaifood.about.com/od/thairecipesstepbystep/ss/thaifreshrolls.htm
Here’s the link for the sauce. But beware, you’ll want to dip everything in it 🙂
http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaisnacks/r/thaipeanutsauce.htm
I got some of that rice ‘paper’ too – yea Gluten Free!! I haven’t tried making any wraps with it yet – years ago a chef friend did some wraps with some, & I thot it was a great option!! I enjoy the warps at our local Thai restaurant – thanks for sharing this – will check some of those other ideas!