Vietnamese summer rolls

This season is all about Mindfulness - so it’s being aware in everyday activity like eating, drinking, walking, breathing, washing dishes etc. I was reading a book on The art of living written by Thich Nhat Hanh. So he is a Vietnamese global leader teaching about appreciating every moment and every meal, how all living things are interconnected in a simple way. His emphasis on finding joy in the present moment and the power of a mindful/compassionate mind is amazing to read. Though hard to practise immediately - gradually we can get there. He says ‘There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way’!

So we decided to indulge on a Vietnamese dish to celebrate ‘The art of living’! Here we go - 

 Vietnamese summer rolls are an ideal dish for mindful eating - as it involves fresh ingredients, art of rolling process just enough to pliable and not to tear the rice paper. This helps our mind to focus on the task and be in the present moment. We decided to have a weekend DIY meal over the gadgets meal - so we chose our own ingredients with fresh salad veggies, tofu, vermicelli and herbs. This got us freshness and happiness together as a family!

Ingredients

• Super thin rice noodles boiled and cooled
• Mint finely chopped
• Coriander leaves finely chopped
• Red pepper thin strip
• Carrot thin strips
• Cucumber thin strip
• Shallow fry firm tofu cubes/strips
• Rice paper
• Bean sprouts (i prefer steamed)

Method

• To prepare the rolls, firstly pour hot water in a shallow dish. Place the rice paper in the water for 10 sec and carefully remove it and place it on a chopping board.
• Next at the bottom of the paper, layer the noodles, veggies, tofu, sprouts and herbs according to your choices. You can also add a dash of spicy ketchup here.
• Gently fold over once and tuck in the edges. Continue rolling until the seam is sealed.
• Place the seam side down on a serving place and cover with a damp cloth to keep it fresh. Repeat the same steps until all the fillings are done.
• Serve it as a healthy snack or a light meal with peanut sauce or any other spicy ketchup/sweet chilli sauce.