I think Thai food is probably one of my favorite cuisines, the balance of sweet, salty, sour and spice is so perfect and the use of interesting ingredients appeals to me because I love to experiment with new flavors and exotic looking ingredients. Thai food is also quite healthy, not in a low fat, no sugar, low salt sense but in the types of fats, sugars and salts they use. In North American cooking we use a lot of refined products like granulated sugar, trans fats and iodized salts which, lets be honest, can be delicious but using less refined and “weird” looking ingredients to achieve the same result can be really eye opening and beneficial.

These salad rolls are a great addition to your “go to” menu for your family. Kids absolutely love them and since they are individually rolled, they can be customized to accommodation everyone’s taste. They are made with rice paper and rice noodles, so they are gluten free and they can be made vegetarian or with chicken or shrimp. 

Thai Salad Rolls

1 Pkg Rice Paper Wraps

1 Pkg Rice Vermicelli

2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded

1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro

1 Red Bell Pepper, julienne

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, julienne

1 English Cucumber, seeded and diced

1 Bunch Green Onion, chopped

3 Carrots, julienne

1/2 Head Romaine Lettuce, shredded

1 Cup Chopped Peanuts (optional)

Have all your ingredients cut and ready to go on a platter for quick assembly. Cook the rice noodles quickly in boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain very well and place in a bowl and put it with the other ingredients.

Have a large pie plate with very hot tap water next to your work area. Place the first rice paper wrapper in the hot water and submerge to soften, it will take approx. 30 seconds. You may need to replace the water with hot water a few times while rolling if the water cools down too much. You want the rice paper to be pliable but not fully soft or it will be difficult to work with. Place the softened rice paper on a tea towel laying flat. Add the ingredients to the bottom center of the rice paper being careful not to add to much or rolling will be difficult. Bring the bottom of the wrapper over the ingredients, followed by the sides and finally roll the bundle towards the top of the rice paper. Place the finished roll on a platter or a plastic container lined with damp paper towel to prevent the rolls from drying out. Cover with additional damp paper towel and repeat the rolling process until all the ingredients are used.

Serve with Thai Peanut Satay Sauce