Recipe: Jicama and Green Papaya Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

JICAMA AND GREEN PAPAYA SUMMER ROLLS
WITH PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE

"In tropical countries, green papayas are often used as vegetables, which is how I use them here. Rice vermicelli noodles and Vietnamese spring roll wrappers are available at Asian markets and many grocery stores. The rolls may be kept at room temperature, covered with a lightly dampened paper towel, for 1 hour after being assembled. Do not refrigerate the rolls or the rice paper will dry out and become brittle."

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 small seedless cucumber
1 medium carrot
1 small jicama
1 large green papaya, peeled, halved (seeds discarded)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 ounce rice vermicelli noodles
6 8 1/2-inch Vietnamese dried rice spring roll wrappers
8 leaves Bibb lettuce, torn into smaller pieces, ribs removed
Peanut Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

1. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Set aside and let cool completely.

2. Slice the cucumber lengthwise using a mandoline or a chef's knife into long 1/8-inch-thick strips. Cut each strip lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide pieces. Slice the carrot and the jicama lengthwise in the same way. Reserve. Cut the papaya lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide pieces. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, carrot, jicama, and papaya. Toss gently with the reserved vinegar mixture, lemon juice, and cilantro. Set aside.

3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the canola oil, noodles, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Boil until the noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Leave the noodles in cool water until ready to use, so they won't stick together.

4. Just before filling the rolls, transfer the vegetable mixture to a colander to drain. Gently press out the liquid. Drain the noodles and arrange them on a baking sheet, loosely covered with a damp paper towel.

5. To assemble: Set up a large shallow bowl of very hot water. Slip a spring roll wrapper into the water. When the wrapper becomes pliable, after about 45 seconds, remove it from the water and lay it flat on a paper towel. Place 2 to 3 pieces of lettuce on the bottom half of the wrapper. Arrange 1/4 packed cup of vegetables over the lettuce. Spread out 1 heaping tablespoon of the noodles over the vegetables. Roll the wrapper up, tucking in the ends as you roll and rolling tightly as possible. Repeat this procedure with the remaining wrappers. Trim off the ends of the rolls. Cut each roll in half in the middle. Then cut each of the 2 halves into 2 pieces on an angle to make a total of 4 pieces. Continue with the remaining rolls. Stand the rolls flat on their ends and serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
Makes 1 cup

"Thin this sauce with warm water if it is too thick to lightly coat the Jicama and Green Papaya Summer Rolls."

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 small onion, finely chopped to yield 1/2 cup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup boiling water

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chili paste, curry powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Stir in the peanut butter, coconut milk, vinegar, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of warm water. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the peanut butter dissolves.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of the peanuts to the sauce and then transfer it to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding 2 to 4 tablespoons of boiling water to help the sauce emulsify. Transfer it to a bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Before serving, garnish with the remaining peanuts. The sauce may be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. (Press plastic wrap directly on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.) Bring the sauce back to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Makes about 2 Dozen
Excerpted from Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook by Martha Stewart
Copyright 1999 by Martha Stewart. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.