Rice papers – they go way beyond the classic the spring roll. I always have rice papers in my cupboard for many reasons. They are cheap, long lasting like forever or almost forever and really easy to make recipes. Moreover, it’s versatile! You can make tons and tons of recipes with them.
But another good news is you don’t have to make spring rolls every single night to eat with rice paper. I’ve found 8 different, creative ways to eat them way beyond the classic spring roll.
Crisps/chips
Us chips or UK crisps as you want. Totally weird but it’s the easiest recipes ever, just warm up some oil and then carefully dip the dry rice paper sheets in. It takes about a couple seconds tops. They don’t go only crispy but also buff that make them ultra-crispy.
Sprinkle some salt, some smoke paprika, dip them in hot tomato sauce. Do as you like!
Steamed salmon
We are all familiar with the salmon baked in foil, it’s good technique because it straps all the flavors but this is a hundred times better because unlike with the foil, you can actually eat the wrapper.
Season your portion of salmon with salt and pepper on both sides, get the seasoning in the fish then, set it aside. Use three rice paper wrappers and dumping them with a wet kitchen towel. This way, they won’t be totally mushed, but still be usable.
Now, place them in a flower pattern, stuffed with shredded green cabbage, then, some strips of carrots, mushroom slices, the piece of salmon, some singer strips just to get flavors in the flesh, a few leaves of dill or any herbs you have, bits of chili, a good dash of soy sauce and a nice drizzle of olive oil.
So now, you want to wrap this carefully not too tight but you don’t want any leaks either. Instead of baking it, we are steaming it.
I would say it’s about 8 to 10 minutes to get it moist inside or you know 15 minutes of you like it fully cooked. No steam, no problem. Just use a microwave instead. In that way, don’t cook it more than 3 to 4 minutes.
At the end, you get that piece of art, moist and flavorful with all the flavors from the veg and the ginger, everything is nicely packed. So, it’s truly intense and of course, the best bit is that the wrapper is just part of the dish. I love it so much!
Ramen
Let’s say you are out of your staple food aka ramen noodles but thanks to this recipe, all you need is rice paper wrappers. Slightly damp it with the wet kitchen towel to soften it but not too much. Rub that with an oily kitchen paper just to prevent it from sticking.
Now, really tight and cut it into slices. You can unroll that easily with a chopstick.
Wait! If you have pasta machine with a noodle attachment, that’s even better. Slice those wrappers in and watch the magic happen. Add those to a bowl of stock along with mushroom, chicken leftovers, corianders leave and sesame seeds or whatever you have in the fridge. Rice noodles ramen bowl with noodles, it’s totally possible!
Chocolate coconuts roll
Nobody’s said spring roll have to be savory. In fact, it works great with sweet stuff as well.
Cook rice noodles a few minutes in coconut milk. By the way, don’t trash the milk afterwards. Keep it because it’s going to be useful which is as good as and unbound one. dampen a rice paper wrapper with wet kitchen towel just to make it soft.
Add banana strips in the center, then, adding rice noodles, apple strips or any fruits you like, chocolate chips, a few crushed cashew nuts, a drop of the coconut milk and then, wrap it like a spring roll.
Dip the whole thing in the coconut milk and roll it in dry coconut. Add a few toppings and you know a trickle of chocolate sauce.
Sweet, soft, moist and of course, chocolate taste. It’s a good dessert that you can wrap up in no time.
Maki sushi
Who said you have to use nori seaweed to make sushi. You know that it’s just a black wrapper thing. So, why don’t try your available rice paper wrapper to take that role?
Dump on a rice paper wrapper with a wet kitchen towel. For style and flavors, I start by sticking some leaves of coriander and basil onto the paper. Then, I’m adding rice, a few strips of sushi-grade salmon, few cucumber strips or avocado and then, roll it slowly carefully to get a sushi roll.
Trim off the end and eat them. Cut that in two then each one in three. Maki sushi – sounds like a party!
And on top of that, it rhymes!
Gluten-free fried chicken
Blitz up a few rice paper wrappers in a food processor until you have got rice flakes. Using debone dark meat like chicken ties or wings just because it’s more tasty and juicy. Coat them with the rice flour or if you don’t have some, just use cornstarch. I’m even adding some ginger and garlic to boost up the flavors. Dip them in beaten eggs. Finally, apply a thick coating of rice flakes.
Deep fry them or in my case, just shallow fry because somebody is too lazy to by a new bottle of cooking oil. Fry them a few minutes each side. When they are golden, fish them out and remove the excess of fat on a kitchen paper.
You know they are delicious and they are gluten-free so why not give it a try?
Instant dim sum
You know how it goes. Nobody has time to make the dough to steam them in a bowl. Add cooked shrimps, cooked pork, cooked bamboo shoots in a food processor and blitz them up.
Slightly dampen your rice paper wrappers in wet kitchen towel. Then, divide them into 6 pizza slices. Play good blobs of stuffing close to the pointy and then, roll it up, attach the point to the crust apparently, the pizza metaphor is running. Bring the side to the crust as well and now, you have to manage somehow to form a dumpling shape.
Put them in a steam basket and do not cook them.
Crispy rolls
The texture of the spring rolls wrappers is soft, chewy, elastic and moist but did you know that you also get a crispy spring rolls, Vietnamese called “cha gio” with the same rice paper.
Slightly damp a right sheet then, stuff it with shrimp, mushroom, chicken pork, vermicelli, whatever you have on hand really but let’s try to keep a meaty or rich flavor. Then, you want to shallow fry them in a pan. They need to be crispy on every sight and serve with salad or any kinds of veggies you like.
From those 8 recipes above with rice paper wrappers, you can try them as a snack or a perfect side meal to pack for school or work. They are quick preparing, less time taking and importantly, very delicious. Hope you enjoy this article and if you want more creative recipes, take a look at these:
- Top Delicious Nut Milk Recipes You Should Try
- Top healthy meal prep with chicken
- Top Healthy Smoothie Recipes You Should Try
