RICE PAPER SPRING ROLLS RECIPES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, saute the garlic and pepper flakes in oil for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is tender. Add the water, peanut butter, hoisin sauce and tomato paste; cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside., For rolls, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water; drain well. Add hoisin sauce if desired; toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine the red pepper, cucumber and carrot. Set aside noodles and vegetables., Fill a shallow bowl with water. Soak a rice paper in the water just until pliable, 30-45 seconds (depending on thickness of rice papers); remove, allowing excess water to drip off., Place on a flat surface. Layer vegetables and noodles down the center; top with peanuts and, if desired, cilantro. Fold both ends over filling; fold one long side over the filling, then roll up tightly. Place seam side down on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining ingredients., Cover with damp paper towels until serving. Cut rolls diagonally in half; serve with peanut sauce.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Before you get the kids cooking, put the noodles, vegetables, prawns and chicken in individual bowls for everyone to help themselves. Get everyone to wash their hands and put aprons on. Sit the kids down and give them their own mixing bowl and spoon. Let them choose which ingredients they want (noodles are essential) in their rolls and if they want to graze as they choose, that’s fine – all the ingredients are cooked or can be eaten raw. Add a bit of garlic and ginger, a tiny dash of soy and sprinkling of five-spice to each bowl and let them mix everything together.
• Push the bowl aside and lay a sheet of pastry in front of each child. Ask them to spoon the filling down one side of each sheet, then give them the beaten egg and a brush so they can brush around the edges. Help them to roll the pastry up neatly by folding both sides over the filling, then rolling them up.
• Lift the spring rolls onto a baking tray, seam-side down, brush with a little more egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you like. Try to remember which child made which roll to save any arguments at the end! Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden.
• While the rolls are in the oven, make the dipping sauce. Get the kids to mix all the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. When the spring rolls are golden and crisp, remove from the oven. Leave until cool enough to handle, cut into pieces for smaller kids, then let them eat, dipping the rolls into the sauce.