Korean Fusion: Rice Paper Wraps

Rice Paper wraps are quick and easy. They can be served as a fun, build your own dish, pre-rolled as a side or accompaniment to other dishes, as a snack ….

Servings: 6

Recipe Type: Appetizer, Fusion, Main Dish, Snack, Wrap

Ingredients

2 eggs

4 ounces rice noodles

2 medium cucumbers

2 medium tomatoes

2 medium avocados

1 pkg imitation crab

1/2 head lettuce

1 pkg rice paper wraps

4 green chilli peppers (hot, sweet, or both)

Optional Additions:

hot dogs

shrimp

sesame leaves

Perilla/wild sesame leaves (kkaennip 깻잎)

par boiled spinach

Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon wasabi

Procedure

Selecting the Vegetables:

Cucumbers: Two medium cucumbers should weigh roughly 1 pound, with dark green flesh and no soft spots.

Tomatoes should weigh about 14 ounces and should be a firm variety that can stand slicing.

While any type of lettuce can be used, iceberg is probably better because it is crisp. Lettuce should weigh about 1 pound for a small head.

Peppers should be a uniform green or shading from green to red depoending on ripeness of the pepper. They should not have yellow blotches, wrinkled skin, or soft spots.

Egg:

Crack eggs into a bowl and whip together lightly.

Spread the eggs in a thin sheet in a pan over medium low heat.

Cook until the top is just beginning to set, then flip and finish cooking.

Repeat until all egg is cooked.

Set aside and let cool.

Once cool, cut into strips about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.

Rice Noodle:

Bring about 1 quart of water to a full boil.

Reduce heat to medium, dropping the water to a fast simmer/low boil, then add the rice noodles.

Cook until desired texture. (3 to 8 minutes)

Rinse immediately in cold water and let drain.

Vegetables:

Peel the cucumber, then cut in half lengthwise and gently scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the cucumber into strip about 1/4 inch wide and about 4 to 5 inches long.

Cut the avocado in half from top to bottom and remove the seed. Cut each half into quarters and remove the peel.

Cut the tomato in half from top to bottom, then cut each half into quarters.

Shred 1 quarter of a small head of lettuce.

Remove the stem from the chili peppers, then slice on a bias (diagonal).

Arrange all fillings on a platter.

Making Wrap:

Just prior to assembling wrap: Soak one sheet at a time in very warm water for 2 to 5 seconds. The sheet will become limp quickly. Do not oversoak.

Place a single sheet on a plate, then put desired fillings near the closest edge to you. Add sauce if desired.

Fold a portion of the sheet over the filling then fold both sides over to close the ends, then roll gently so as not to tear the sheet.

Eat and enjoy.

Fillings

Fresh and Seasonal is Best

Garden fresh vegetables are the best. Local grown, in season offerings from Farmer’s Markets or the grocery will give the next best options.

More Fillings

Seafoods, Meats, Egg Strips

Just about any kind of fresh or flash frozen seafood can be used – shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, oysters, various fish, etc. Korean style grilled or fried meats like spicy pork, grilled bulgogi or chicken, or kalbi are great additions. Bacon, ham

Assemble and Roll

Place your favorite fillings and roll

Briefly dip the rice or tapioca sheet in warm to hot water, then place your desired fillings on the sheet.
Roll as you would a burrito – fols one edge over the filings, tuck the edge over the sides, and roll.

Enjoy

Eat and Enjoy

Once you have finished admiring your construction efforts, simply eat and enjoy.