Flavorful, healthful, and beautiful to look at, these salad rolls make perfect appetizers, an unusual first course to kick off an Asian meal, a great lunch-box addition, or easy picnic fare for a summer outing. And with leftover salmon on hand, they are quick to put together. What goes into the salad roll depends on what you like and what you have on hand. Sometimes I use watercress instead of pea shoots, add shredded carrots, and use mint instead of cilantro. The dipping sauce is terrific, but if you are short on time, bottled peanut sauce will work, too.
Makes 8 salad rolls; serves 8 as an appetizer or first course
2 Tbsp chunky natural peanut butter, warmed slightly to soften
1/4 cup [60 ml] hoisin sauce
1/4 cup [60 ml] water
1 Tbsp Asian fish sauce, preferably Vietnamese nuoc mam
1 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 oz [55 g] dried rice vermicelli (see Cook’s Note)
8 round rice paper wrappers, about 9 in [23 cm] in diameter (see Cook’s Note)
2 oz [55 g] pea shoots (see Cook’s Note)
One 12-oz [340-g] piece grilled or broiled salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 8 long strips
4 green onions, including green tops, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 4-in [10-cm] lengths
24 sprigs fresh cilantro
1TO MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE: In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, hoisin, water, fish sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes and mix well. Cover and set aside until ready to serve. (The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
2Bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat, add the rice vermicelli, and let soak until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold running water, drain again, and pat dry.
3Have ready a large bowl of warm water, a clean dry linen towel, a platter, and the rice paper wrappers. Dip a wrapper into the water for about 5 seconds, turning to dampen both sides, and then transfer to the towel. You will use one-eighth of each ingredient for each roll. To assemble the first roll, lay a small portion of pea shoots horizontally on the bottom third of the dampened wrapper. Top with a small mound of noodles, spreading them horizontally. Place a salmon strip, two pieces of green onion, and three cilantro sprigs horizontally on top. Roll the edge of the wrapper nearest you over the filling, creating a tight cylinder. Roll it halfway over again and then fold in the sides of the cylinder, envelope style. Continue rolling the wrapper, always keeping the filling tightly packed, into a finished cylinder. Place the roll, seam-side down, on the platter.
4Repeat with the remaining rice paper wrappers and filling ingredients. (It is important to roll the ingredients into a snug cylinder. If it is not snug, the filling will fall apart when you cut or bite into the roll.) Cover the rolls with a damp paper towel and then with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
5Cut each salad roll in half on the diagonal. Arrange on a platter or on individual small plates. Serve with little bowls of the dipping sauce.
Rice vermicelli are thin, round rice-flour noodles that commonly appear in the cuisines of Southeast Asia and southern China. They are often used in soups, salads, spring rolls, and stir-fries. You need only soak them in freshly boiled water for about 5 minutes before use. Look for them in well-stocked supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores.
Sometimes labeled “spring roll wrappers,” rice paper wrappers (bánh tráng) are thin, translucent dried sheets made from ground white rice, water, salt, and usually a little tapioca flour. They come in various sizes and shapes (round, square, or triangular) and are softened in warm water before using. They are typically rolled around fillings and then served fresh or deep-fried. Look for them in well-stocked supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores.
Pea shoots (doumiao) are the delicate, crisp tendrils and small, tender leaves of pea plants, typically snow peas and less commonly English peas. They taste like a cross between peas and spinach, with a hint of spicy watercress. Look for pea shoots in the produce section of natural foods stores or Asian markets, and pinch off and discard any tough tendrils before using. If the pea shoots appear to have many tough tendrils, buy extra to ensure you have enough after trimming.
