SUMMER ROLLS WITH BLACK BEAN GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

Summer Rolls With Black Bean Garlic Dipping Sauce image

Back in 2012, Elaine Louie spent time with Tama Matsuoka Wong, a forager for the restaurant Daniel in New York and Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, to see how she and her family ate. Ms. Louie brought back this recipe, a riff on Vietnamese summer rolls and a Wong family favorite. If it's your first time making summer rolls, don't fret too much about appearance. "The summer roll is very forgiving," Ms. Wong said. "Even if you have a hole in the wrapper, you can roll it up and hide the hole."

Provided by Elaine Louie

Categories appetizer, side dish

Time 45m

Yield 8 small rolls (4 appetizer servings)

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons preserved salted black beans (available in Asian specialty stores)
4 garlic cloves
4 slender chives
2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
20 slender chives
2 cups basil leaves
1 red bell pepper
8 6-inch-diameter rice paper wrappers
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 1/4 cup (about 80) bean sprouts

Steps:

Make the dipping sauce: Child: To remove some of the salt from the beans, put them in a small bowl of warm water for 2 minutes. Rinse in a small colander or a strainer, and repeat 3 times. Adult: Mince garlic cloves. Trim ends of chives. Child: In another small bowl, mix beans and garlic, and give to the adult. Using a pair of small blunt kitchen scissors, cut chives into tiny pieces. Adult: In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering, and add beans and garlic. Stir until they begin to sizzle, about 1 minute, then reduce heat to low, add soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Pour into a small bowl. Child: Garnish sauce with chives.
Make the summer rolls: Adult: Trim ends of chives. Child: Count out 16 chives and, using kitchen scissors, cut them in half. Tear basil leaves in half. Adult: Mince remaining chives and set aside for garnish. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise, discard seeds, and cut 8 slices 1/2 inch wide. (Reserve remaining bell pepper for another use.)
Adult: Place a wide shallow bowl or baking pan on the counter and add 1 to 2 inches of cold water. Slide a rice wrapper into the water until pliable but not soggy, about 10 to 30 seconds. Transfer wrapper to a large plate. Child: In the center of the wrapper, place a row (about 4 pieces) of basil, mint (about 5 leaves), cilantro (about 6 leaves) and chives (about 4 pieces). Add 10 bean sprouts and a strip of red bell pepper. Adult: Roll up wrapper halfway to cover filling, then tuck in ends of wrapper. Continue rolling, wrapping tightly. Place roll, seam-side down, on a serving plate. Continue to make 8 rolls. Child: Garnish rolls with minced chives; serve with dipping sauce.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 99, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 15 grams, Fat 4 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 242 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams