Vegan Rice Paper Rolls (Veg version of Thai Ahi Rolls)


Spring Rolls are a famous appetizer on Asian Menus, and they taste great too, whether they are vegetarian or filled with meat or fish. The only problem is that they are fried, and they also hold quite a bit of oil in the pastry shell. So I was very happy to be served Vegetarian Rolls which were not fried; rather, they were just wrapped using Rice Paper sheets. These tasted great, and were a whole lot healthier than the spring rolls (which I love, btw!) So if you've eaten a lot of calories for a few days and need to cut down on some, or simply seek to eat something healthy yet delicious, Rice Paper Rolls will work great for you. And the best part, it took me less than 20 mins to make all the rolls! The recipe I describe below is a Vegan Recipe, but I've suggested variations at the end of the post so you can modify it to suit your taste!

Ingredients
1 small cucumber - peeled and chopped
1 small carrot - peeled and chopped
1/2 cup lettuce - chopped finely
1/4 cup mint leaves
3 tbsp pickled ginger - finely sliced
1/4 cup chives - chopped (optional)
1/8 cup mushrooms - finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper - to taste
3 tbsp peanut powder
4-6 tbsp cooked rice
1 pkt rice paper sheets (3" x 9") (available in grocery stores, asian food aisle)

Method
Mix all the chopped vegetables, pickled ginger, rice and mushrooms together. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss around so they are evenly coated.

Soften rice paper sheets by soaking in warm water for approximately 30 seconds each. When soft and pliable, remove and place on a clean cloth or cutting board. Gently lay a small amount of the filling along the centre of the rice paper. Add the peanut powder on the top. Fold the sheet from one side to the other forming a neat wrap. The paper is thin, but it is easy to roll and will stick together. Apply a toothpick in the center to hold the roll, especially if you want to serve it to guests. Repeat the process for all the rolls.

There, your healthy, crunchy and delicious appetizers are ready. Serve these with Sweet and Sour Sauce on the side, or with plain tomato salsa. These work great for a tea party or a mid-evening snack! I'm sending it over to Suganya's "Vegan Ventures" event where you'll see loads of vegan recipes!

Tip: You can add Ahi Tuna to the mixture to form the authentic Ahi Rolls. This is a vegan recipe, but you can also add eggs or cheese to make a variation; anything that makes these rolls more inviting!


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24 comments :

Anonymous said...

I agree Mansi; it's a great alternative to spring rolls, once in a while:) i think i'll try it sometime...my "eat-healthy" freak hubby will like it:)

-Annie

Anonymous said...

This does look interesting, as I've never heard about rice paper before...definitely not in india:( but i'll still try to find out and see as I love experimenting with food:)

-Alka

Mansi said...

Annie - I'm sure your husband would like it..trust me, it tastes better than it looks:)

Alka - I doubt if you might find this in india..not sure, but do give it a try..sometimes these ingredients are imported so an be expensive..or you could buy it online if you are really interested: http://www.asiafoods.com/

-Mansi

Kribha said...

Mansi...I'm amazed at the dishes you make. Being a working woman how do you find time to cook so many varities all the time? I'm a homemaker but I've always heard my working friends complain that's it's so hard for them.
I love spring rolls very much but haven't tried the rice paper rolls. Looks mouthwatering.

Raks said...

Looks delicious mansi,I like spring rolls ..this one using rice papers should taste good too!!

Latha Narasimhan said...

Nice vegan recipe mansi! :) Looks delicious!

amna said...

lovely recipe! you recently got married?!

Mansi said...

Kribha - thanks for the compliment! I guess I love cooking a lot, and as it's just me and my hubby, who also helps btw, it's not too tough...and part of it is my addiction to blogging too:) have to cook for all my wonderful friends and readers!!

Anonymous said...

wow, these look delicious! anything healthy and wrapped so well has to be tasty!

~Ankita

Cynthia said...

Hmmmmm, the Asian bug has hit us huh? :) These are my favourite kind of spring rolls. Absolute favourite. Why did you not invite me over for dinner? :D

FH said...

Looks delicious and sounds refreshing to eat! Good one Mansi!:))

Swaroopa said...

looks gr8....thanx 4 sharing...

Rina said...

Those are perfect lunch rolls mansi with a twist of rice paper.Look gr8

Suganya said...

These don't even need steaming or deep frying. Thats what I like about 'em. Thanks for this refreshing snack, Mansi.

Richa said...

hey, those look like perfect parcels of tasty food :)

Anonymous said...

lovely creation Mansi! couldn't ask for a tastier and good-looking healthy food:)

-Ashley

Mansi said...

Cynthia - I think i am hit by the asian bug lately:) it's tempting to try you know!

I'm glad all of you liked it...I was a bit skeptical about the reactions at first:) 'coz not everyone seems to know about rice paper, and so it's a bit hard to interpret the taste! but really, it's great..should def try it:)

Suganya - They are specially made for your fabulous and meaningful event!:)

musical said...

This is really a wonderful dish, Mansi!

Swati said...

Very nice version of the rolls...sadly, dont get rice paper in India...guess we can use tortilla instead...what say?
The peanuts taste lovely too in this!!

Mansi said...

yes Sugar, tortillas would work just fine...a bit of a compromise on the taste though:( but that'll be a good alternative, and do let me know how it tastes if you do make them:)

Mandira said...

Mansi, I love these, they are my favorite! Where did you find the rice papers... I have been looking for them.

Anonymous said...

It looks absolutely delicious!!!

TheCooker said...

Love these rolls!
Any brand of rice paper sheets you particularly like?

Mansi said...

Mandira - I get mine from Asian market like Ranch 99...but I've seen them in other stores too, like Safeway sometimes

TheCooker - no, I'm not too picky about the brand; it's not something that'll affect the rolls:) so any brand will do...