Recipes from the Slow Food table

Huge thanks to the slow food team for submitting these recipes!

Spring roll recipe by Callie Goodman. Sesame Ball recipe by Suchita Hothur.

Fresh Vegetarian Spring Rolls: (15 Servings)

Ingredients:

1 package of spring roll rice wrappers

1 package of Vermicelli rice noodles

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large cucumber, thinly sliced

1 red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 head of lettuce, thinly sliced

½ cup of green onion, chopped

½ cup of cilantro, chopped

½ cup of thai mint, chopped

Instructions:

Cook vermicelli noodles in boiling water according to package, drain and rinse with cold water.

Gather all produce and chop.

Prepare a rolling station. Get a large, deep dish, add about 1 inch of warm water. Dampen a tea towel to assist with rolling (so rice wrappers don’t stick to hands) Place one rice wrapper into water and let soak for 15 seconds. Remove it and lay it on towel. Layer 2 slices and small bunch of each veggie and add a pinch of noodles on the ⅓ of spring roll that is closest to you. Carefully fold the sides of the spring roll over ingredients, making sure it is tightly packed. Then pull the side closest to you up and over the ingredients, sealing everything together tightly, then rolling it like a burrito.

Pair with peanut sauce and enjoy!

Peanut Chili Sauce: (enough for 15 spring rolls)

Mix all ingredients by hand or in blender. Add salt, lime juice or chili flakes to taste.

Ingredients:

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

¼ cup of unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup of lime juice

¾ cup of vegetable oil

3 tbsp of soy sauce

⅓ cup of maple syrup

3 tbsp of sugar

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 tbsp of ginger, roughly chopped

1 tbsp salt, more to taste

2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

Bánh Cam (Vietnamese sesame balls)

Sweet Mung Bean Filling:

1-½ cups dried peeled split mung beans

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tsp vanilla extract

Shell:

1 bag glutinous rice flour (16 oz)

3 tablespoons rice flour

⅓ cup potato starch

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ cups hot water

1¼ cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil and more for deep-frying

1 cup sesame seeds

Procedure:

Filling:

Rinse the mung beans until water runs clear. Soak them overnight with 5x the water by volume.

Transfer beans to a medium-size pot and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring the pot to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer. Partially cover with a lid. Cook for about 1 hour or until you can easily smash a mung bean.

Add beans to a blender and blend with sugar, vanilla, salt, coconut and oil. Blend to make a runny liquid.

Pour the mixture back onto the pan. Stir constantly until it releases from the pan. It should be a dough. Let the mixture cool and form into 1-inch balls.

Dough:

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl until evenly combined - Add water, sugar, and vegetable oil and kneed until you get a smooth, slightly sticky dough ball.

Assembly:

Make discs using 1.5 tbsp of dough. Use extra glutinous rice flour if dough is sticky.

Wrap the mung bean balls tightly with this dough. Seal at edges to prevent bursting in the oil.

Roll each ball in sesame seeds. Bring a pot of oil on the stove to heat up.

Once hot, fry each Bánh Cam until golden brown. This should take about 6 minutes. If it browns quickly, the oil is too hot