Spaghetti Squash Spring Rolls

Vietnamese spring rolls are very popular because they are made with almost all fresh vegetables. Other than the vegetables, protein sources can be included, such as cooked shrimp, pork, chicken, fish, or tofu for vegetarians. Most of the spring rolls use steamed rice noodles or vermicelli noodles, and the ingredients are endless with many choices for creation of these spring rolls. There are many dipping sauces that suit this dish, such as sweet Vietnamese dipping sauce, Thai peanut sauce, or creamy yogurt dipping sauce. Westerners are familiar with spaghetti squash. This vegetable is super healthy with loads of beta carotene and fiber. I love spaghetti squash and prepare many recipes with this wonderful vegetable. Today, I will introduce easy spring rolls with the combination of both worlds, Asian/Western, of cooking. I use the fish patties that are sold in Costco, and this dish is delicious. These spring rolls have not only a wonderful taste but also are a very healthy meal when combined with other vegetables, such as carrots, jicama, and cucumbers.

Ingredients:
1/2 spaghetti squash
1/2 jicama, peeled and julienned
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1/2 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks
Herbs: mints and cilantro
4 fish patties (your choice)
1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts
Salt pepper to taste or Japanese seasoning*

15 rice paper wrappers
Serve with peanut dipping sauce or Vietnamese dipping sauce

Directions:
Preparing the squash:
Pierce the whole squash with a fork and then cook the squash in boiling water for 30 to 40 minutes. There are so many ways to cook squash, but this is a simple one.

 After boiling, let the squash cool off, then cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and the membranes. Use the fork to scrape out the squash “meat” or "noodles".

Grill the fish patties with some oil. Divide the patties equally among the rice paper wrappers.

Heat a large sauté pan with some oil. Start cooking the carrots and jicama (just enough to soften them).

 Season with some salt and pepper or use the Japanese seasoning (the recipe as follow or the store-bought).

 

Assembling the rice rolls:
Have a warm big bowl of water ready to moisten the rice paper wrappers.

 

Immerse each wrapper individually in the warm water. Quickly remove and spread out flat on a dry counter-top or plate. Use a paper towel to pat the rice paper wrapper to get any extra water out from the rice paper wrapper. The rice paper will become pliable within seconds. Take one tables of spaghetti squash over the bottom third of the rice paper and one table of the rest of the filling.

 Roll up the paper half way into a cylinder. fold both sides the paper over the filling. Keep rolling the paper into a cylinder to seal. Continue to finish rolling. Place on a serving plate  with dipping sauce on the side

The dipping sauce:
2 tbsp of sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice and rice vinegar
1/4 cup coconut water and 1/4 cup fish sauce
garlic  and fesh chili
 This quick  sauce can be use for many Vietnamese recipes for the dipping with fresh rolls or eggrolls etc..
 
*How to prepare the Japanese seasoning:
10 seaweed sushi roll, bake in preheat oven at 350° for 20 minutes or until crispy
1 cup roasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass, pan fry until golden brown
2 tsp salt, panfry until golden brown
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chili flakes or caynene

Grind the seaweed in the food processor until become small pieces. Add the the rest of the ingredients and grind until they become the consistency that  you like, not too powdery.. Store in a shaker and use for many recipes that call for this seasoning.