End of Summer Roll
Mouth-watering autumn inspired summer rolls. Cardamom spiced roasted sweet potatoes, colorful shredded beets and carrots, creamy avocado slices, and fresh spinach, kale, or arugula bring an autumnal flavor to the traditional summer roll. Divinely paired with autumn inspired ginger maple dipping sauce.A fun variation on a classic treat.
Equipment
- 1 medium pot
- 1 colander
- 1 knife
- 1 large shallow rimmed bowl or pan this is to soak the rice paper rolls in
- 1 grater
- 1 sheet pan
- parchment
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 3 beets (any color)
- 2 carrots
- 1-2 avocados
- 2 cups baby spinach, kale, or arugula
- 1 package vermicelli rice noodles
- 16 rice paper rolls
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbs grated ginger
- 1 tbs finely diced garlic
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. While oven is heating peel sweet potatoes and slice into slender sticks (think sweet potato fries). Toss sweet potato sticks in a bowl or directly on parchment lined baking sheet with olive oil, cardamom, salt, and black pepper. When oven is ready, place baking sheet with sweet potatoes in the middle or lower portion of the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes, checking and flipping sweet potatoes half-way through.
- While sweet potatoes are roasting, cook your rice noodles by following the packages instructions. I like to really monitor this so that I don't end up with soggy, sticky rice noodles. Be careful. When they are ready, drain them and rinse with cold water.
- Prep beets and carrots by peeling and then grating. You can keep them separate or mix together if you wish. Place in a bowl and set aside until time to assemble rolls.
- Place spinach, kale, or arugula in a bowl for ease with assembling.
- Slice avocado in half around the nut. Open up and remove the nut. Carefully slice the avocado into medium slices and then spoon out onto a plate.
- Open your rice noodle package and stack at least 16 wrappers in a pile that will be within reach (I like them on my right side). Set up a prep line with a container large enough for the paper wrappers to soak in, the greens, the rice noodles, the sweet potato sticks, the sliced avocado, followed by the shredded beets and carrots. When all components are ready add about two cups of warm water the container for the rice paper rolls.
- Now for assembly. Take one rice paper roll and place it in the warm water about 20-30 seconds. I use my fingers to feel if the ridges on the paper are starting to soften and then I pull it out. Place on a flat smooth surface (I use my clean countertop). Next, place spinach greens in the center of the rice paper (about 4-6 leaves), grab a pinch of rice noodles and place on top of spinach (this should be covering about a 3-4 inch area in the center of the roll with a decent amount of edge showing), then place 2-3 sweet potato sticks on top of noodles, next place 1-2 slices of avocado, and lastly place a few pinches of beets and carrots.
- To roll wrappers, peel up the left side and fold over ingredients in the middle of the wrapper, then grab the right side and fold towards the left. Then grab the edge nearest you and pull it over the mound of ingredients and then you want to roll everything away from you. Go slowly and try to keep it tightly bundled. The roll may seem very damp or slippery, but the water will absorb. You can now place on a plate. Try not have the rolls touch. Use strips of parchment to separate if needed.
- After you have all of the rolls assembled. You can make the dipping sauce. First, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Do not walk away from them as they will toast rather quickly. When they are golden pull from the heat and set aside. Then combine the soy or tamari, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, grated ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds in a jar with a lid and shake until all ingredients are combined.