fresh spring rolls and peanut dipping sauce

Boyd and I went to a Vietnamese grocery store,

on Saturday morning,
while Kevin did a ton of yard work.
{The yard looks so nice}.

This grocery store was the neatest place.

I could have spent an hour in there.

We grabbed our ingredients, 

for well under $10, 

and came home to cook.

I made a peanut dipping sauce first, 

so it could sit in the fridge and the flavors could blend.

I combined a few recipes that I found.

The recipe is below.
{and a cute new bowl from the Vietnamese grocery store always makes your meal more fun}.

In a mixing bowl combine:

1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter {would use a tad less next time}

1 lime, juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T hot sauce {tabasco}

3 T coconut milk

1 T low sodium soy sauce

1/4 c hot water to start {I needed double that, but add as you go, to thin out}

2 T of chopped peanuts, unsalted

Whisk all together, cover, and chill.

Stir again before serving.

Yields almost 2 cups of sauce.

I have always loved fried spring rolls,

but recently fell in love with the fresh ones.

Making them involves a few steps, but it is not hard.
I didn't use a recipe,
I just tried to copy what we eat at a restaurant. 

I used rice paper, rice stick noodles,

 red lettuce, cucumber, carrot, avocado, cilantro.

Follow rice paper and noodle directions.

Tear apart small pieces of the lettuce,

peel outer layers of cucumber and carrot and then use a potato peeler to shred,

slice the avocado into thin strips,

and just use a couple small leaves of cilantro in each roll.

I layered everything about an inch into the wrapper, closest to me,
pulled the edge over the ingredients,

folded sides in, and rolled tight.
{thinking i will use the circular rice papers next time,
layer ingredients in middle horizontally,
fold sides in, then roll}.
 

At one point I said to Kevin,
these don't look like the restaurant,
and he said, well you're not a professional roller.
True.
:)

There you go.
A bit of work, but very rewarding.
Enjoy.

..............

A couple of quick pictures I snapped inside the Vietnamese grocery store.
I can't wait to go back.

..............

love,
nicolle