We’re often chasing a crispy exterior with a chewy and soft inside, and rice paper wrappers can do this for us. If you brown them in a pan, you get an entirely different type of roll. Sear every side for a satisfying bite.
Rice paper wrappers have a lot of advantages. First, they’re shelf stable. I rarely use an entire package for one meal, so it can be easily stored. Because they require no cooking, you can wrap almost any sliced up vegetables and leftover protein for a fancy hand-held salad. Raw veggies go well with the un cooked summer roll and a hot filling is better for the seared version. They don’t store well after being prepared. Crisping the rice paper dumpling is easier than deep frying lumpia, and they seal naturally. Most of the filling recipes I’ve seen for seared rice paper rolls are reminiscent of an egg roll. A curry or saucy mixture will work, too.
I thought double wrapping would be excessive, but found it withstands the crisping process better. You can do it with one, but you have to be more precise. Be careful to not split the wrapper by being patient with its softening, and don’t move the dumpling until it’s seared enough to release from the pan. Put the single round in water for an instant. It will seem brittle when you take it out and lay it down. Trust me, it will soften. I dip it quickly, top it with the filling, and turn to do something else for 15-20 seconds. By then, you’ll have a pliable material. Once made, these don’t keep well. I suppose this is true of almost any crispy, chewy food — get it while it’s fresh and hot.
Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings
Ingredients:
• 12 rice paper wrappers (I used the brown rice version)
• 5 tablespoons oil, divided (vegetable or avocado)
• 1 cup fish or firm tofu
• 1 cup zucchini
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1/4 cup green onion
• 1/3 cup mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons shoyu or tamari
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
Directions:
Dice all of the vegetables and the fish into small pieces. If using tofu, you can crumble it with your hands. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the veggies to the pan and sauté, stirring often with a wooden spoon.
When the veggies are softened but not quite done, add the fish or tofu, shoyu, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
Sauté for a couple more minutes, until the protein is fully cooked. Remove the filling to a separate bowl.
Set out a large concave plate filled with cold water for the wrappers. Clean the pan and place back on medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the pan.
While it is heating, work quickly. Dip one wrapper in the water, then set on ˚ at surface. Add 1/4 cup filling to the center of the wrapper, lining it up like a small rectangle.
Wait about 15 seconds until the wrapper is just pliable. Quickly bring the sides over the middle, and then the bottom and top over, like an envelope. Repeat the process by putting the envelope into a second wrapper.
When the oil is hot, place the dumplings in the pan and brown. Let it sit for 45 seconds to a minute on each side. If you can, I like to also brown the thinner sides, by holding it up in the pan (with tongs or chopsticks), but this is optional.
Remove to a plate when crisp. Blot with a napkin to remove excess oil and serve. You can drizzle these with chile crisp or sweet chile sauce.
Makes 6 dumplings.
Mariko Jackson writes about family and food. Email her at thelittlefoodie@gmail.com.
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