Vietnamese Fresh Rice Spring Rolls

These rolls are as fresh as fresh can be. Prepared in a jiffy and so refreshing to eat, these rolls are a perfect starter on a hot summer day. I have recently joined a cooking group which meets fortnightly and consists of members from across the globe. There are over 300 members from across 73 countries divided into 26-27 groups of 10-12 members each. The members of each group meet fortnightly or weekly or monthly and one of them hosts the session each time with a cooking demo and followed by a lunch thereafter. Not only do you get to learn and taste different cuisines free of cost, you also meet wonderful people from across the globe and get to know different cultures and eating habits. Isn't that a wonderful group to be in? I am completely loving being a part of it and this recipe is just the beginning of many such sessions (read recipes) that I shall be attending (tasting and trying) in the future. So stay tightly tuned!! 

Ingredients 

Fot the rolls

Rice paper sheets preferably 8" (else it gets too small and fat to roll)

1/2 cup Rice flour vermicelli 

Few leaves of lettuce and cilantro 

Few slices of mango cut lengthwise 

Few slices of baby cucumber cut lengthwise 

Handful of shrimps 

1/4 cup boiled and shredded chicken 

Few pieces of an omelette cut lengthwise (optional, I skipped)

For the sauce 

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped 

1" piece of ginger finely chopped 

2 tsp brown sugar

5 tsp sesame oil

5 tsp extra virgin olive oil 

6 tsp light soya sauce 

2 tsp lime juice (or 3/4 tsp vinegar)

2 extra hot chillies chopped 

Direction

Prepare the sauce first. One thing to note about this sauce is that it can and is better prepared little ahead so that the flavors are well blended and infused for maximum taste. The left over sauce can be enjoyed with boiled noodles (or the vermicelli if left over) or even with steamed rice. It is simply delicious! Just mix all ingredients under sauce and keep it aside until used. If storing for the next day, keep it in the refrigerator. The vinegar/lemon juice helps keep it fresh for longer. 

Next get the vermicelli ready. Soak the rice vermicelli in tap water for 10-15 minutes till slightly soft. Now take a bowl of boiling water (off the stove) and dip the soaked and drained vermicelli in the hot water and keep it soaked for a maximum of 10 minutes or until just soft. Take care as too much soaking in the hot water will make them soggy. This is how they should look. 

Now time to prepare the rolls. Take a huge bowl of room temperature drinking water and set your station with the filling well arranged in one plate and the dry sheets and the bowl of water on one side. 

Dip a rice sheet in the big bowl of water and quickly take it out and place it in your kitchen counter or plate. Fill it up with all the ingredients starting with the lettuce, cilantro, mango, cucumber, shrimps, chicken, omelette strips, and the vermicelli. Now roll it up carefully from one end and tucking the filling in as you proceed. When you reach the end, just fold in the two edges from both ends. They will stick to the surface. Place the roll on a plate and proceed to make the next one. It is possible that the sheets tear in the process of rolling. That is when you soak them too long or the sheets are not too fresh. Don't worry, just procced and a few torn edges do not really matter. 

Serve with the sauce and enjoy this popular Vietnamese delicacy!! 

Healthy Broccoli Soup

GM Diet has been going quite good for me till now although the same cannot be said for my husband who is quite sloshed already by the end of Day 2. I guess it is not easy to maintain a high pressure job and a rigorous diet at the same time. While I do have a lot of physical exertion, but I get to rest for about 2 hours in the afternoon while my baby sleeps which helps me get my energy back. This is my first time ever with such a strict diet regime and I am quite happy with the results. Many people complain that you tend to gain back whatever weight you lose in just a few days and then all the effort goes waste. However, I feel that if you maintain a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, you can still manage to retain the loss and maybe loose a few kilos more. My purpose of going on the diet was simply to loose some quick kilos and then follow a healthy diet to retain and maintain the loss. After all, it simply depends on how controlled you are over your diet and cravings. Whether I achieve my target weight is something to wait and see, but one thing which I have gained through this diet regime is self control and I am sure this gain will help me keep the scales under check. Today's recipe is a healthy yet filling and super yummy broccoli soup. I did cheat on the plan by adding a few ingredients which were not allowed for the day, but since the ingredients were not too high on calories, I decided to add them anyway.

Ingredients

4 cups (about 450 gms) broccoli florets

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

1 medium potato chopped

200 ml skimmed low fat milk

250 ml chicken broth (I used 99% low fat)

A pinch of red chilli flakes

Salt as per taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp olive oil

Direction

Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel and fry the onions and celery until onions turn pink. Now add the potatoes and broccoli followed by the broth and milk. Add the red chilli flakes. You can add an additional 1/2 cup water as it will reduce while boiling. Simmer and cook the veggies in the broth for about 20 minutes or until tender. You and cook with a lid for a faster process but keep checking in between to ensure the liquid does not overflow. Remove from heat and cool it down. With a hand blender or a juicer jar, blend the veggies along with the broth. Return to the pan and warm it. Add salt and garlic powder and stir. Serve hot with your choice of bread.

                                          

Vegetable and Sausage Bake

What do you do when you have a pack of sausages lying in the freezer for quite some time and there are no takers for it? Well, here is the answer. A healthy, nutritious, and easy-to-make no fuss vegetable and sausage bake. You can enjoy it with your gang of friends over coffee, serve it as a party appetiser, or as a light yet filling dinner served with some steaming hot soup. Choice is yours!

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 cups yogurt, beaten

1/2 + 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 cups frozen/fresh cut vegetables (carrot, peas, beans, corn)

3-4 sausages, sliced

Olive oil for sautéing and greasing

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius. Grease a flat baking dish and keep aside.

In a medium skillet, heat a little oil and sauté the onions till translucent. Add the minced garlic and fry till fragrant. Add the chopped veggies and the sausages and fry for 3-5 minutes till the sausages get a little soft. Season with salt and oregano. Remove from heat and cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and yogurt till smooth. Add the flour and the cheese and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and red chilli flakes. Be a little cautious with the salt as you have already added in the veggie mixture and the sausages will contain a bit as well as the cheese. Add the slightly cooled veggie and sausage mix and give a good stir. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking dish and garnish with fresh parsley. With a fork, lightly coat the parsley leaves with the batter to avoid getting the leaves burnt. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes till it is golden brown on top, sides coming off the baking dish, and has passed the toothpick test. Remove from the oven and let it rest in the baking dish for 5 minutes. Turn the dish onto a plate and then to another one so that it is in bottoms down position again. Cut into squares and let it cool on a wire rack to avoid a soggy bottom.