I'm always so delighted to see these colourful little parcels come together for a light, healthy lunch. They are honestly so easy to put together (I did need a bit of practice with the rolling part, and I know I still have room for improvement!) and even easier to demolish alongside this amazing spicy peanut dipping sauce! I've included a simple recipe for coconut-poached chicken, but really you could use any leftover cooked chicken in these and they'd be super! Or even leave the chicken out and make them vego - yum!
Serves 2 (makes about 6 rolls)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 large chicken breast
400ml can coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock (or just sub water)
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
6 sheets rice paper
1 carrot, julienned
1 lebanese cucumber, deseeded and cut into matchsticks
1 long red chili, finely sliced on the diagonal
2 spring onions, green part only, sliced on the diagonal
Handful coriander leaves
Handful mint leaves
100g rice noodles, soaked according to packet instructions. Use scissors to cut the cooked noodles into more manageable lengths.
Sesame seeds, to garnish
Spicy peanut sauce:
2 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Sriracha (this is what makes it spicy, so adjust according to your tastes)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 clove garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp warm water, just to loosen
Method
Place coconut milk, stock and lemongrass in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add chicken breast. Once the pot has returned to the boil, lower the heat as far as it will go and pop a lid on. Allow your chicken breast to poach gently for 20 minutes.
While your chicken is poaching, prepare your spicy peanut sauce. Place all ingredients in a blender or Nutribullet and whizz together, using the warm water to adjust the consistency until you have a nice thick smooth sauce. Set aside.
Remove your chicken from the poaching liquid (you could retain this to make a laksa another night - recipe coming soon!) Place the chicken on a wooden board and shred with two forks. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Fill a wide bowl or a plate with a decent lip with water. Slide one of the rice paper sheets into the water and gently move it about until it's completely submerged. Let it soak for a minute until it becomes transparent and soft.
I've found the best way to do this next part is to use a damp wooden chopping board (just wet your hands and slap the board a few times - fun!) Move the rice paper carefully from the plate to the board and lay it flat. In the centre of the rice paper, arrange a line of chicken. Top with carrot, cucumber, rice noodle, chili, spring onion, coriander and mint. Starting at the side furthest from you, carefully bring the edge of the rice paper forward to encase the filling. Tuck this edge gently beneath the filling, then bring the two perpendicular sides together in the middle. Maintain a grip on the filling to keep it tight and roll it the rest of the way towards you, until you have a lovely encased little sausage of deliciousness. Repeat with the remaining rice paper and filling.
Serve rice paper rolls with spicy peanut sauce and some sesame seeds for garnish.
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