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

Hummus

Very easy to prepare and tasty to eat. MM always doubles the garlic. I prefer less bite.

• 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3-4 T lemon juice
• 3 T tahini
• 1/4-1/2 t salt
• cayenne pepper (or black pepper or cumin)

1. Dump beans, SOME of the liquid, garlic, juice, tahini and salt in blender. Blend.
2. Taste. Add more bean liquid, lemon juice, tahini, and/or salt to taste.
3. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with cayenne.
4. Eat with carrot sticks or as spread on sandwich.

Grapefruit Risotto with Broccoli, Mushrooms and Peas

The grapefruit flavor was a little too strong for me though MM liked it. I would reduce the amount next time. I used Tropicana but you could use freshly squeezed as well. Risotto is typically made with wine but using juice instead makes this version Halal!

• ~8 cups broth (7-9 cups, depending on rice)
• 4 T butter, divided
• bag of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 crown of broccoli, separated into small flowerets/cubed trunk
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/3 c grapefruit juice (** would only use 1/2 c next time), warmed in microwave
• 2 c Arborio rice
• 3/4 c frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 c grated parmesan (fresh is better)
• optional: salt and pepper

1. In saucepan, bring broth to simmer.
2. In small pan, blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and remove to bowl.
3. In large saucepan, melt 2 T butter. Add mushrooms and cook until done. [Lightly salt to speed up cooking.] Remove to bowl (with liquid).
4. Melt the remaining 2 T butter and add the olive oil.
5. Add the rice and stir to coat.
6. Add the warmed grapefruit juice and stir constantly until fully absorbed.
7. Add in half a cup of the broth, stirring constantly until fully absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Keep adding broth until rice is mostly cooked.
8. Add in broccoli. Continue adding 1/2 cups of broth. Add in peas and mushrooms. Continue adding 1/2 cups of broth, reserving 1/4 c broth for final use.
9. When rice is fully cooked, remove from heat. Add in 1/4 c broth and parmesan. Stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve immediately.

Variations

Garnish with fresh grapefruit slices and/or parsley.

Related

5/15/2011 Mushroom Risotto