Magical Rice Paper

Have you ever used these amazing disks of rice paper?

They look and feel exactly like hard, thin plastic until you get them wet. It takes only seconds of contact with water to start them on their transformative journey to pliability. I just wave them under a stream of warm tap water, and in five to ten seconds, they're ready to roll.

As you roll whatever you fancy inside them, they soften into a rather elegant, translucent vehicle, enabling you to eat utensil free. (The pictures below give you an idea of the options. My own don't look nearly as pretty. I need to work on my rolling technique.)


Tonight's supper was the leftover Aubergine and Sweet Potato Stew with Coconut Milk (from Thai: The Essence of Asian Cooking) along with these spring roll wraps, which I filled with a sliced spring onion omelet (seasoned with soy sauce), avocado and cucumber--all handy things from the fridge. I didn't make dipping sauce this time because the leftover stew provided a nice, hot coconut milk sauce.

These rice paper wrappers are great for quick lunches: just get the wrap wet, fold anything inside--leftover salad, curry, noodles--and you're eating a healthy and beautiful meal.

Thank you, Viet Nam.