Lemon Grass Chicken and Snow Pea Summer Rolls
- Cuisine: Asian
- Course: Appetizer
- Features: Gluten-Free, Healthy
Summary:
Lemon grass gives the chicken in these summer rolls a lemony fragrance with a subtle, less tart flavor than you would get from fresh lemon juice or rind.
Makes 16 medium rolls
Ingredients:
For the dipping sauce- 1 stalk lemon grass, tough outer layers removed, finely chopped
- 1 -inch piece ginger root, finely grated
- 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 stalks lemon grass, tough outer layers removed, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus oil for cooking the chicken
- Salt
- 3/4 to 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened or sliced into cutlets
- 4 ounces snow peas
- 4 ounces rice vermicelli
- 16 8-inch round rice paper wrappers
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored and sliced into very thin strips
Directions:
For the dipping sauce: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
For the summer rolls: In a resealable plastic food storage bag large enough to hold the chicken pieces, add the lemon grass, mirin, oil and salt to taste. Add the chicken, seal the bag and turn the chicken to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
When ready to cook, have ready a bowl of ice water. Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the snow peas and cook for 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice-water bath to halt their cooking. When the snow peas have cooled, drain, pat dry and slice lengthwise into 3 or 4 strips each. Set aside.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add just enough oil to coat the pan lightly. Discarding the marinade, add the chicken cutlets and cook, turning once, until the cutlets have browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and set aside. When they have cooled, slice into long strips that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice vermicelli.*
To assemble: Prepare the rice paper wrappers.* Place 2 or 3 chicken strips down the center of the wrapper, leaving a 1-inch margin at each end of the wrapper. On top of the chicken, layer enough snow peas strips to lightly cover the chicken. Next, add a layer of rice vermicelli and top with a layer of lettuce strips. Pull one side of the rice paper tightly over the filling, folding over the two ends to form something that looks like an envelope, and then roll over the remaining portion of wrapper to form the roll. If desired, cut in half diagonally. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.
Serve immediately or cover the rolls with a damp cloth for no more than an hour before serving. Serve with the dipping sauce.
*Notes: To prepare the rice vermicelli, fill a large bowl with cool water and add the vermicelli. Let it soak for about 20 minutes while you bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain the vermicelli and add it to the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Let the vermicelli air-dry for 15 to 20 minutes.
To prepare the rice paper wrappers, have ready a shallow bowl filled with water and some dry, clean tea towels. Dip a rice paper wrapper in the water to wet it. Place the wrapper on a tea towel and let it sit for a few minutes to soften. Pat dry.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from former Food section recipe editor Stephanie Witt Sedgwick.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
