Summer Rolls, Take One

This weekend I had a hankering for Thai food. I wasn't in the mood to go out and am still not sure how take-out works in Germany. Even if I did have a to-go menu, my German is terrible on the phone.

There is a pretty good Asian food store in Bad Godesburg. I've been a regular since discovering rooster hot sauce last fall. So, I stopped in and stocked up. At first I intended to make Masaman curry with chicken and rice. Then, when I saw spring roll wrappers in the frozen food case, I changed my mind.

Really, what's a feast with appetizers?

At home I prepped all the fillings — glass noodles, carrots, red onion, tofu, and basil — whipped up some peanut sauce, and started rolling away. I then made another spur of the moment decision. Not wanting to fry them, I decided to make summer rolls instead.

I’d never made a summer roll before. But, having eaten enough in my lifetime, I figured I could winged it. I decided to steam them.

This was not the right answer. The flavors were good, but the wrappers were sticky and chewy. After the fact I looked online and discovered the wrappers are actually supposed to be softened in warm water and then rolled with precooked ingredients. No additional cooking is required.

Be ready for summer rolls, the sequel. I’ve got to try this one again.