Fresh Rolls

Thai or Vietnamese style fresh rolls are a fun group activity for dinner. The special plastic plates for building them make it extra quick.

• Rice paper wrappers
• Protein: shrimp, chicken, tofu, pork
• cucumber sticks
• carrot, shredded
• soft lettuce, leaves
• vermicelli noodles, cooked and optionally tossed with sesame oil (refrigerate until needed).
• mint, coriander, thai basil
• mango, ripe and sliced
• avocado slices
• sauce (see below)
• optional: scallions, bell pepper slices, bean sprouts, purple cabbage

1. Shrimp: Thaw frozen shrimp. Place in boiling water for 2 min. Drain and run in cold water or dip in ice bath to stop cooking. Peel and cut in half (if large). Refrigerate until needed.
2. Chicken: Saute/boil, flavored or not. Tofu: cook
3. Lay out items on table and each person rolls their own. 
1. Dip wrapper in pie plate full of water. No need to drip off excess water. Place on blue plate. It will continue to soften while you place your ingredients. The holes in the plate prevent it from sticking.
2. Add sauce, noodles, protein and favorite fillings and herbs.
3. Roll tightly at one end. Half way, fold in each end and continue rolling. Dip in extra sauce if you didn't put enough inside.

Sauce choices

• hoisin sauce (optional: mixed with finely chopped peanuts)
• peanut sauce
• 1/3 c creamy peanutbutter
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 2 T soy sauce
• 2 T maple syrup
• 1 T sesame oil
• 2 cl garlic, minced
• 2-3 T water, as needed for right sauce consistency
• Vietnamese sauce
• 1/4 c water
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 2 T white sugar
• 4 t fish sauce
• 1 cl garlic, minced (optional)
• 1/2 t garlic chili sauce

Almond Sponge Roll

The lemon sponge roll was too sweet so I decided to use a custard filling instead. The old sponge recipe also had leftover whites, so I found a recipe that was the same number of whites+yolks. Unfortunately I ran out of vanilla, so I substituted almond extract. A bit too much. It was still edible for me but DBD thought it was too strong. XBD gobbled it up. DBD has requested it with vanilla custard next time.

• 
  4 eggs (split into yolks and whites)
  
• 1/2c + 1/4 c sugar (reduce next time)
• 3/4 c cake flour
• 3/4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t cream of tartar
• powdered sugar
• favorite filling: lemon curd, vanilla custard, etc

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks for 1 minute on medium high.
3. Gradually add 1/2 c sugar until mixture is pale, about 2-3 min.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low medium until frothy.
6. Add 1/4 c sugar a bit at a time until the whites are medium stiff (not dry).
7. Fold ~1 cup of the whites into the batter. Fold in the rest.
8. Spread evenly in parchment lined and buttered edged 10x15 (or smaller) cookie sheet. 
9. Bake 375F for 10-15 min. (Lower heat with convection)
10. Let rest a few minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place clean tea towel on top and flip onto towel. While cake is still warm, roll up the sponge sheet (with the towel inside the roll). Let rest 30 min or more to cool on counter.
11. Unroll and spread favorite filling and re-roll without any air bubbles but not too tight (no squishing the cake). Slice and serve. 

Mantou

DBD has been asking for mantou (Chinese steamed buns) all year so finally got around to making them on a 30+ degree day, choosing this over cookies so I wouldn't have to turn the oven on. I tried 2 recipes - one a quick one using baking powder, and one with only yeast and a rolling method. I liked the rolling method better, and the kids each liked a different flavor better. DBD liked the one with less sugar. The amounts in brackets were from the first recipe. The second dough came out a bit too sticky so I would adjust next time.

• 
  350 g flour [250 g]
  
• 1 c milk (or soy milk or water) [130 ml lukewarm water]
• 1 t yeast [same]
• 2.5 T sugar [1 T]
• [3/4 t baking soda]

1. Add milk, yeast and sugar in bowl of mixer. Stir.
2. Add the flour. Set to speed 1 to knead for 6 min. (Adjust flour or milk as necessary)
3. Transfer dough out of bowl and cover for 5 min.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 10"x14" rectangle.
5. Roll the short way, making a tight log. Roll out a bit more to smooth it out to 12".
6. Cut into 8 equal pieces using a serrated knife. Transfer each to parchment piece. (Optional: roll each piece into ball)
7. Place in steamer and let rise for 1 hour, until dough is expanded.
8. Steam for 10-12 min.