Healthy Cooking Part II: Spring Rolls with Miso Soup

Not every post on this blog will be about culinary success. Part of the enjoyment of becoming a decent cook is the process. There will be great dishes and not so great dishes. I remember when I was younger my dad attempted to make a Lemongrass soup (we ended up getting takeout that night). Prior to this blog, I attempted to make a ragout (Rachael still says it is one of the worst things she has ever tasted). The point is - take chances and try new things! The takeout menu is only an arm's length away.

With that in mind, last night I decided to make spring rolls and miso soup. It actually turned out fairly well - I would not call it a disaster by any stretch, but it was my first attempt making spring rolls and there is plenty of room for improvement.

Spring Rolls

• Spring roll wrappers
• cabbage
• Shrimp (or another protein such as tofu or chicken)
• Mint
• Basil
  
• Cilantro
• Rice Noodles

Spring Roll Sauce

• Hoisin Sauce
• Chopped Peanuts
• Lime Juice
  
• Sirachi Sauce
• Basil
  

Miso Soup

• Red and/or White Miso
• Dashi (or vegetable/fish stock)
• Green Onion
• Yellow Onion
• Tofu

Start by placing the shrimp in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes. Watch the shrimp as they cook and when the blue color is replaced by orange, remove the shrimp from the water and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set the shrimp aside and let them cool. Once the shrimp are cool to the touch, slice them in half down the middle (like a butterfly - but separate the sides).

In a small mixing bowl, stir together 3-4 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts, 2 teaspoons of basil, the juice of 1 lime, and 1 teaspoon of sirachi sauce. Taste it and add water if it is too salty. Set aside.

Place rice noodles in a pot of boiling water for 5-8 minutes, until they are soft. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water.

Roughly chop the cabbage, mint, basil, and cilantro. Set aside.

In a stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook 1/2 of a diced yellow onion for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 cups of dashi/vegetable stock Let the stock and onions cook for 3-5 minutes. Add 3-4 tablespoons of Red/White Miso. I used half and half, but you can use all of one or the other. Add the green onion and tofu and cook for 3-5 more minutes. Simmer until you are ready to serve.

I used vegetable stock because I did not have dashi -- it was good, but it tasted more like chicken soup than the traditional miso soup we are used to. It is worth searching for dashi at a local Japanese market or specialty grocery store.

Fill a large mixing bowl with warm-hot water (not too hot - you have to put your hands in it). Submerge a rice wrapper in the water for 20-45 seconds (until it is soft and malleable). Lay the wrapper on a flat surface. Place 1-2 shrimp, basil, cilantro, mint, rice noodles, and cabbage (a small amount of each) about 2 inches from the bottom of the wrapper - you should also leave room on the edges. Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling. Next, fold the sides of the filling into the center (like you would when wrapping a present). Tightly roll the wrapper and slice in half.

I found that the biggest challenge with the spring rolls is to make the filling solid enough to where the roll will not fall apart. I think the key is to avoid overfilling each roll.

Enjoy!