There are very few delicious dishes in this world that have zero grams of fat, cholesterol, sugar, or any other "bad for you" substance. Vietnamese fresh spring rolls are one of those rarities. Spring rolls are made by enclosing a filling inside paper-thin rice pancakes. Spring rolls can be deep fried, but they are best fresh. They are the perfect summer dish - yummy without the mess, time, and calories of deep-frying.

Vietnamese spring rolls are normally made with lettuce, been noodles, and steamed shrimp. The rolls have a wonderful texture, but completely rely on the peanut sauce for flavor. As soon as I learned to make the spring rolls at home, I started experimenting with different fillings to see if I could create spring rolls that have enough flavor to stand on their own. After trying several different combinations, I learned that the key ingredient was mango, making the rolls sweet, juicy, and aromatic. Then I had to find some ingredients to balance the richness of the mango and to add a refreshing touch to the rolls. Lime juice, mint, and cilantro did the job perfectly. The carrots and sprouts provided the crunch, and added another dimension to flavor. The result was a sweet and tangy, delicate and crunchy dish. It can be served with peanut sauce, but has enough flavor to stand on its own.

Mango Spring Rolls

Making spring rolls requires a bit of practice. The trick is to pack the filling into the spring roll skin as tightly as possible. This way the rolls won't fall apart when you bite into them.
Note about ingredients: Spring roll skins and bean noodles are available in most Oriental grocery stores and in Whole Foods Markets. Bean noodles are also known as bean threads, and cellophane noodles.

Makes 6-7 spring rolls

Ingredients	Directions
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground) 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp chicken stock or water 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger 1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper	Peanut sauce Place peanut butter in heavy medium saucepan and set over low heat. Gradually whisk in chicken stock or water. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 6 minutes. Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, stir over medium heat until hot, thinning with water if necessary.
Lime peel julienne	Right before serving, pour sauce into bowl and garnish with lime peel.
1/2 cup cooked bean noodles	Filling Cook the bean noodles according to the instructions on the package (most brands are soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and then drained). Dry the noodles on paper towel and cut them into chunks 1-2" in length.
1 large carrot	Peel the carrot and grate using a grater or a shredding attachment on your food processor.
1 mango	Peel mango and dice into 1/2" cubes.
1/2 cup bean sprouts 1/4 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts) 1/3 cup raisins 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro 2 Tbsp chopped mint 1 Tbsp lime juice Salt to taste	Put noodles, shredded carrot, mango, bean sprouts, scallions, raisins, cilantro, mint, and lime juice into a bowl. Add salt to taste and stir well.
Making the rolls Boiling water 6-7 spring roll skins (9" in diameter) Pour boiling water into a 2" deep frying pan or round pyrex dish. Submerge one spring roll skin into water (Picture 1). Wait 7-10 seconds or until the skin is soft and pliable. Remove the skin from water being careful not to tear it. You can help yourself with a fork if the water is too hot. Place the roll onto a cutting board or a clean counter. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place 1/3 cup of filling onto skin. Roll the skin away from you to enclose the filling (Picture 2). Gently pull towards you with your fingers to pack the filling tightly inside the skin. Fold the sides (Picture 3) and finish rolling away from you (Picture 4). Set onto a plate and keep the finished rolls covered with a damp paper towel. Continue making the rest of the rolls replacing the boiling water in the round dish every 3-4 rolls to make sure it's very hot. If not serving immediately, cover rolls with damp paper town and then plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.
Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4