Dinner Tonight

Above cold "Buckwheat Soba Noodles" with peanut dressing.  Buckwheat noodles are from what I have read pretty healthy.  OK ... but don't think I will be making them this way again.  I have more so will experiment with them some other way.  (The mini cucumber are very yummy!)

These veggie spring rolls however where sooo good.  I will share the recipe as best I can... as I have mentioned before I'm not one to follow a recipe .... I just cook.  I made notes as I went so hopefully I can get you to this very delicious place.

Grate two carrots

half of a small jicama grated

about a cup of grated cabbage

one small sweet onion chopped very fine

one clove of garlic minced

1/4 cup of asian chives

2 TBLS of cilantro chopped

1/2 to a cup of enoki mushrooms

1/3 cup of fresh grated ginger

I saute the carrot, jicama, cabbage, onion and garlic in 2 TBLS of olive oil and 2 TBLS of sesame oil for a few minutes.  Take it off the heat and let it cool.  Add the chives, cilantro, enoki mushrooms and ginger.  Add a splash of each soy sauce, asian black vinegar, fish sauce and mirin.

Mix it all and let it sit for a few minutes so the flavors of the sauces can be absorbed.  Place the mixture onto one half of a cookie sheet and raise the side with the veggies and set it on something so the all the liquid will run out of the mixture.  You have to get as much liquid out as possible or your spring rolls will be mushy.  Let it drain for an hour or more. It doesn't hurt to press the veggies with a spatula to help the liquid roll out.  I use frozen spring roll sheet from my Asian market.  You lay one sheet out put a good TBLS of filling on and flip the bottom up and over the filling.  

Using your finger mold the filling as you roll and form the spring roll.  

Fold the sides in toward the middle.  In a small bowl put a few tablespoons of cold water and a bit of corn starch to make a thin paste.  Dip your finger in the paste and run it along the top of the flap.  Then continue to roll all the way until you have a spring roll.

Instead of dragging out the deep fryer tonight I just cooked them on top of the stove.  Heat the oil until very hot.  The spring roll should start cooking as soon as they hit the oil or its not hot enough.  

I like these with Hoisin sauce, but they are tasty enough to eat without any sauce.