Fresh Rolls (Thai/Chinese-style)
ingredients:
8 sheets of rice paper
10 peeled garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
½ lb ground meat (if using, if not double carrots and mushrooms)
½ cup thinly cubed carrots
½ cup hydrated, finely chopped shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp golden mountain
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp white pepper
1 cup of water
Green leafy lettuce
Basil
Mint
Cilantro
Sauce:¼ cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp lime juice
15 cloves peeled garlic
15 Thai chilis
10 stem & leaves of cilantro
Basil about 15 leaves
Mint about 15 leaves
Instructions:
In a pan preferably nonstick, on medium-high heat, add oil and garlic AND stir for 15 seconds. Add meat, cook until 75% doneness, add carrots, mushrooms, and all seasonings. Stir well, and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add water and turn the heat on high. Stir occasionally until all water evaporates. Take off THE heat and place in a bowl to cool.
Grab a large plate and fill a large bowl with very warm water. Take a piece of rice paper, one at a time. Dip into warm water, rotating until the paper starts to get flimsy all over, DO NOT wait for it to fully get soft. Place paper on a plate with a pointy end facing you. Layer as follows - about 3 inches from the point closest to you- 1 leaf of lettuce, a couple of leaves of basil, mint, and cilantro top with about 1-2 tbsp of filling and roll.
To roll, grab the point closest to you and pull over the filling, lightly. Then pull the left point to the middle and repeat with the right point. Then as tight as you can roll everything towards the last point. Serve with sauce and enjoy!
For sauce: Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor AND blend roughly. If you do not have a blender or processor, mix all ingredients in a mortar or finely chop all ingredients as fine as possible and combine with liquids.
