SPRING ROLLS WITH CARROTS, TURNIPS, RICE NOODLES AND HERBS

Spring Rolls With Carrots, Turnips, Rice Noodles and Herbs image

This is a basic vegetable spring roll, vibrant with herbs and tangy because the vegetables and noodles are tossed with rice vinegar before being enclosed in the wrapper. You can vary the herbs. I've even used arugula from my garden, which is delicious

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 45m

Yield 8 spring rolls

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 ounces rice vermicelli (thin rice sticks)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
2 medium turnips or 1/2 daikon radish, peeled and grated
6 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, plus additional sprigs
1/3 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus additional leaves
1/4 cup Thai basil leaves, coarsely chopped, plus additional leaves (may substitute regular basil if you can't get the Thai variety)
Salt to taste
8 inner romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
8 8 1/2-inch rice flour spring roll wrappers

Steps:

Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 20 minutes, or until pliable. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drain the noodles and add to the boiling water. Boil 1 minute and drain. Rinse with cold water and transfer to a bowl. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles into 2-inch lengths. Toss with 2 teaspoons of the rice vinegar and the soy sauce
Place the shredded carrots and turnips, slivered mushrooms and chopped herbs in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the rice vinegar and salt to taste. Place the lettuce in another bowl and toss with the remaining vinegar and salt to taste
Fill a bowl with warm water and place a spring roll wrapper in it just until it is pliable, about 30 seconds. Remove from the water and drain briefly on a kitchen towel. Place the wrapper on your work surface in front of you and arrange several cilantro sprigs, whole mint leaves and basil leaves, vein side up, on the wrapper. Leaving a 2-inch margin on the sides, place a handful of the carrot mixture on the wrapper, slightly nearer to the edge closest to you. Top with a handful of lettuce, then a handful of noodles. Fold the sides in, then roll up the spring rolls tightly, squeezing the filling to get a tight roll. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice, if desired

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 178, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 40 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 494 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams