Rice paper rolls filled with Asian slaw and peanuts. Image: Su Leslie 2018
Apparently there is scientific evidence that we really do “eat with our eyes first” — which probably explains why so many people enjoy colourful food, nicely presented.
My lunch today was these rice-paper rolls — filled with a mixture of shredded red cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, spring onion and peanuts along with mint, coriander and basil. They are quick and easy to make (especially when there’s a container of filling already in the fridge), and although I haven’t acquired the knack of wrapping them neatly, they tasted pretty good. Especially with a little bit of hot plum sauce for dipping.
The plate was made by Merilyn Wiseman and the cup by Andrew van der Putten, both New Zealand ceramics artists.
Zimmerbitch 
Not just colourful but tempting too 🙂
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I do like the cup it would cheer up any meal and the snack looks tasty and healthy too
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The cup is a very old favourite. 😀
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I have devoured all this deliciousness with my eyes. I can almost taste it. 🙂
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😀
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Delicious in all ways, Su.
janet
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Thanks Janet.
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What a creative and colorful response Su! The plate and mug are beautiful and the rolls match them perfectly! Well done
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Thanks so much Tina. 😀
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Very pretty and tasty looking also!
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Looks like it’s full of crunch and flavour, lovely plate and mug, Su.
Leslie
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Thanks Leslie. The mug and plate are old favourites 😀
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🙂
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Has definitely made me hungry! Could eat those right now. I hope you enjoyed them before torturing the rest of us with their loveliness 😉
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Hehe. I did enjoy them, and as usual then spent the afternoon thinking of other combinations of ingredients I could put in future rolls 😀
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Yummy! My Vietnamese sister in law introduced me to these years ago. I love preparing the ingredients, to be placed in the middle of the table with people making them up as they are wanted. Fun dinner party idea 🙂
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😂 That is a great idea. I made a few extra and they got a bit sticky, so making “to order” is definitely best.
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Love the mug and plate and the colourful filling, but I can’t say I am taken with rice paper sheets and the finished rolls look as though the ingredients have been stuffed into a condom. Sorry, but that’s what I see… [ducks]
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Haha. It would have been easier to fill condoms — for photographic purposes only.
I don’t think I’ll ever get a job in a Vietnamese restaurant with my rice paper skills 🙂
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I’ve decided you’re a bit of a temptress, Su 🙂 🙂 My rolling skills are negligible, but so long as I don’t host dinner parties who cares? Lovely response to Colourful.
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Thanks Jo. I think the trick is to chop the filling really finely. But who has time (or patience) for that 😂
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🙂 🙂
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No idea what they taste like, but you definitely have me on pretty! And the pottery is lovely, too.
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Thanks; I don’t buy pottery much now, and am trying to actually use the stuff I have!!
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Such a beautiful presentation.
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🙏
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Thanks for this unusual post and lunch idea :). Filtered food colour. Maybe I can put the rice paper on my lens!
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Hehe. Interesting idea, but a bit messy to remove again.
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Beautiful and yummy in one post!! Love rice paper rolls and just planned to have them for lunch next week! Great minds think alike, eh? 😉 And how lovely that you added the details for the ceramics, I will look them up! 😄 xxxxxxx
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I’m probably just late to the party, but I tried frying rice paper rolls the other day. The boy-child’s partner loves spring rolls and dumplings, but is going gluten-free so I thought I see if I could make something palatable with rice paper. It worked really well. Definitely more like Japanese dumplings than spring rolls, but yummy anyway. 😀 xxxxxxxx
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Oh, I never thought of frying them but it sounds good!! Which kind of oil/fat did you use? Xxxxxx
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I use light olive oil for most things, but I guess any oil without much taste would work. xxxxxx
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I always use olive oil, even for making popcorn! 😄 xxxxxx
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As I was reading this, I got a huge craving for popcorn. I might use 50:50 butter and olive oil though. 🤔 xxxxxxx
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Lol! 😄 xxxxxx
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