Simply enjoy food

These spring rolls are not the same type of deep-fried spring roll you expect from a Chinese takeout joint. They are not cooked and filled with the ingredients you would usually find in Maki Sushi.

They don't require that much skill to make - you don't even need any special equipment to roll them up! They are very healthy. And did I mention they are delicious?

They can be made with either perfect sushi rice or plain rice noodles. Prepare the sushi rice as usual and let it cool to room temperature. If using rice noodles, cook them in water, rinse with cool water and drizzle a little seasoned rice vinegar over them. Toss and set aside while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

I highly recommend including ripe avocado in these. The avocado really add that extra texture that adds substance to these light rolls.

Start with two medium-sized rice paper sheets.

Wet them under warm running water for a moment. Make sure the water has touched every part of their surface. Shake off excess water so that they are no longer dripping wet. Lay the sheets down on a cutting board and smooth the surface to evenly distribute the moisture. They will remain stiff for a few moments, but they will soften up. The trick is to not make them too wet since that will cause them to be slick and not stick together. They need to be sticky when you roll them up.

Once they are wet, you have about a minute before they become too difficult to handle. So just wet them, shake them off and plop them down without fussing with them.

Add whatever colorful filling you want to show on the outside. You can use cooked shrimp or grated carrot - just make sure whatever you put is not too wet. I squeeze the juice out of the shredded carrot before I lay it down. I am using smoked salmon here. You don't need much - a little goes a long way. These spring maki are frugal, despite appearances.

Add a bunch of mixed greens or a few large leaves of lettuce.

Add the rice or noodles on top.

Add the other ingredients on top and with damp fingers, fold over the sides of the rice paper. They should be soft and sticky by now.

Roll it up tight, keeping the ingredients in with your fingers. Don't be shy to squeeze them together to make a nice round shape.

Cut diagonally and serve with your choice of either Pink sauce, Nước chấm, soya sauce or any other of your favorite condiments.

Sushi is all about the rice. In fact, the existence of what we know as sushi today evolved from the process of preserving fish in salted rice. Fermentation would produce vinegar which would prevent the fish meat from spoiling as well as give it a distinctive taste.

Today, sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar and sugar. The rice must have a chewy texture. A grainy or hard texture will prove to be quite unpleasant. The secret to obtaining the perfect texture is in a slow and long cooking time.

As the rice cooks, the grains swell because they take in water. Water enters the grain from the outside in. This temporarily creates two distinct layers in each grain. The two layers have different abilities to exchange heat and warrants exposure to a low temperature gradient over a long period of time.

I use Calrose rice, but there are many other varieties of Japanese rice (Japonica) that are well suited. I use equal volumes of Calrose rice and water.

If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh the container and make note of the total weight. Rinse the rice several times until the water becomes clear. Be careful to not lose any grains of rice. It's important to keep the proper ratio of water to rice.

Once rinsed, weigh the container and adjust the water content to what it was before you rinsed. Add the contents of the container to a pot with a properly fitted lid.

You may need to cover the pot with aluminum foil before you put the top on to further improve the seal. Try and see.

Bring the pot to a boil, stirring every minute to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom and burning. Once a boil is achieved, turn down the heat to a minimum and cover the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the cover. That would release the heat and reduce the temperature gradient below the threshold you need to cook the rice. You want to keep the smallest gradient possible, while still keeping up the simmer. You may need to feel the top of the pot or listen carefully to hear the sounds of simmering during the 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the pot sit for another 20 minutes. The rice should then be done. Check by taking off the cover and gently pressing down on the rice. It should feel 'bouncy."

Empty the pot into a large non-metallic container or bowl. Add about 1/8th of a cup of seasoned rice vinegar per cup of uncooked rice used. Add a teaspoon of sugar per cup of rice as well, if desired. Mix thoroughly by chopping the rice with a non-metallic spoon turned sideways. Do not press down with the bottom of the spoon since that will mash the rice.

It's important to slash through the rice to mix it up, not knead it.

Cool the rice by fanning it or letting it cool at room temperature. Once it is only slightly warm, cover it with a damp towel and use it.

I use this asian-tasting dipping sauce to accompany lots of different meals. It goes especially well with Spring Maki or just regular maki sushi. The Sesame oil adds a dimension to it that is certainly a taste of Asia.

You can also use it for any seafood (hot or cold) as well as a vegetable dip, although it's a bit too rich for my taste for that.

It has a slight bite due to the chili base in the Sriracha sauce, but that doesn't prevent my kids for making it their favorite.

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Soya sauce
1/2 to 2/3 cup mayonnaise or light mayonaise

Mix all the ingredients and let sit for ten minutes before serving. You may dilute the sauce with 1/8 cup milk to lighten it up.