Vietnamese Vegetable Wraps with Honey-Vinegar Dressing

After the holiday feasts of lavish meat entrees and decadent desserts,  I tried to serve more sensible vegetable dinners this week. These delightful vegetable wraps were easy to put together, and I made them more versatile by accompanying them with different dipping sauces on the side.

 

These vegetable rolls  were wrapped in Vietnamese Rice Paper Wrappers called “Banh Trang”. It’s one of the main staples of Vietnamese food.  Rice paper wrappers are thin, translucent, about the size of a tortilla wrap. They’re cheap and easy to find in major supermarkets or Asian groceries. Best of all, they’re nearly zero calories per wrap!

It was simple to do. I just stir- fried quickly a heap of vegetables available :celery, green beans, carrots, napa cabbage. Then after allowing the stir-fry to cool a bit, I prepared the Vietnamese wraps by soaking them for five minutes. After they were soft and flexible, I put the veggies in the center, wrapped the wrap “burrito”-style and served them. 

 

 

Asian cooking usually comes with dipping sauces on the side. Often, dipping sauces come in different flavors, to please diverse preferences. It can be anywhere from sweet, salty, spicy or sour. I found the Honey Ridge Farms honey vinegar dressings perfect for this fresh vegetable wrap.  I used two different dressings, and served them in individual bowls on the side .

 Serve these veggie wraps warm or cold with the honey vinegar dressings . Either way, it’s an exciting, fun way to wrap up dinner!

 

VIETNAMESE VEGETABLE WRAPS with Honey Vinegar Dressing

*Serves 4 to 6

10 – 12 Vietnamese rice paper wrappers or “Banh Trang” (find them in Asian groceries)

For Vegetable filling:

1 whole onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon minced ginger

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

1 cup green beans, chopped in 1-inch pieces

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cups coarsely chopped napa cabbage

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup chopped scallions, for garnish

½ cup each of the following dressings:

Honey Ridge Farms Lemongrass Coriander honey-vinegar dressing*

Honey Ridge Farms Serrano Chile  balsamic honey vinegar dressing*

steamed jasmine white rice, for serving

 

 

 1.    Prepare the vegetable filling : In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir fry the onions, garlic, ginger, celery.

2.    Add the carrots and cook for about five minutes till soft. Add the green beans and  the napa cabbage. This will take about 5 minutes to cook. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit.

3.    Prepare the Vietnamese rice wrapper by soaking in a shallow bowl filled with water. Soak the wraps one at a time, for 5 minutes each. Do not soak them together, or else they will stick to one another or get clumpy.

4.    When the rice wrapper is soft and pliable, take out of the water and place on a dry surface to wrap.

5.    Place a tablespoon and a half of the cooked vegetables. Wrap the whole thing like a “burrito”. Roll it up and tuck the sides inwards.

6.    Arrange the vegetable wraps on a platter. Serve with the honey vinegar dressings in small individual bowls on the sides. Garnish with scallions all over. If desired, serve with steamed jasmine white rice.

 

COOK’S COMMENTS: Feel free to add any other vegetables for the filling. This is a basic veggie wrap recipe you can follow. You can even add meat or seafood to the veggie stir fry and it will be terrific!

 

 

 

*HONEY RIDGE FARMS Salad Dressings  are gourmet Grade-A honey-based products made in the most responsible manner.These are the best pure, artisan, locally sourced honey products. The Salad Dressings are blended with the finest  Grade A Clover Honey and spices. Available only at the finest specialty stores in your area.

For more about the 5 Generations of Honey Sweetness, and where to buy Honey Ridge Farms Honey Products, see www.honeyridgefarms.com

 

 

Disclosure : I was not compensated for this post, but will gladly recommend this dressing for this delicious dish.