Spring Roll Salad

Everything about this salad is amazing!  The flavours blend together so well, I could probably eat it every day.  And it's so refreshing to have in the middle of winter.  The fresh lime and cilantro and the overall brightness of this salad makes me feel like spring is just around the corner.  I found the original recipe for this salad here, but I have made a few changes to it, such as the addition of mango.  I love mango in spring rolls, and I also think mango, cilantro, and lime go really well together, so I wanted it in this salad.  If you have the time I recommend making the dressing ahead of time so the flavours have a chance to mingle.  I found it tasted better the next day, but it was also delicious the first day, so if you can't make it ahead of time don't worry.

Spring Roll Salad

100g Vermicelli noodles, cooked according to pkg

3 cups shredded Napa Cabbage

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup sliced English cucumber

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 mango, julienned

1 can baby corn, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

spicy dressing:

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce

1 lime, juice and zest

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp minced ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

Cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces and put in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and toss.  

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and stir into the salad.  

Fresh Mango Spring Rolls

Clockwise: Mango, endive, cilantro, red pepper,
green onion, ginger, jalapeno, carrot, and broccoli

When I was visiting my mom over the summer she made some fresh spring rolls and it was the first time I realized how easy they were to make.  And they were fun to make too.  My mom had a bunch of different vegetables, etc. to put in them and everyone could just make their own.  I think it would be a great way to get kids involved in making dinner, because they could pick whatever they wanted to be in them.  There are so many different combinations to be made.  Pork, chicken, and shrimp are good meat additions, and there are tons of vegetables that would go well in them.
For my first time making them at home I decided on using mango as my flavour base.  I added red and jalapeno peppers for some spice, and ginger because I think it compliments mango nicely.  I used broccoli stems and carrots for some crunch and lots of cilantro because I just love cilantro.  I made these as an appetizer for my General Tao Chicken and I had some leftover that I had for lunch the next day.  They were delicious!

Fresh Mango Spring Rolls

4 sheets of rice paper
1 small Belgium endive, sliced into thin pieces
1/2 cup cilantro
1 broccoli stem, peeled and julienned
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1 jalapeno, julienned
1 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
3 green onions, sliced
1 small carrot, julienned
1 mango, peeled and cut into strips

Dipping Sauce
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 lime, juiced
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp+ water

Mix together all of the dipping sauce ingredients, adding water until at desired consistency.  Set aside.
Prepare rice papers one at a time.  Fill a large plate with hot water and set one of the dry rice papers in it until it becomes soft and transparent.  Carefully take it out of the water and place on a dry plate.  Put the vegetables in a pile in the middle of the paper.  Fold the 2 outer edges in, then fold the back edge over the vegetables.  Roll it tightly the rest of the way.  Cut in half and serve with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!