Asian Spring Rolls & Dipping Sauce

The other day, I had a very important guest and his date over for dinner. He is part of a team of pioneers in the world of upper cervical chiropractic, and he was here in the Bay Area teaching a seminar on Advanced Orthogonal technique. His name is Dr. Stan Pierce, Jr.

My dear friend, Josh Silver, who is a graduating senior studying upper cervical and advanced orthogonal technique at Life Chiropractic College West, asked me the day of if I knew of a good restaurant nearby with healthy and/or organic food where he could take his friend and mentor, Dr. Stan Pierce, Jr.

I thought for a minute, but I couldn’t think of anything near here in Hayward. Everything “organic” is north of us in Berkeley or across the bay in San Francisco, and traffic would be horrible by the time the seminar was over in the evening, so I said, “Why don’t I just cook dinner and you all eat at my house?” So plans were made!

The only stitch was that I was due to go out of town in a couple days, and I was deliberately running out of food so it wouldn’t spoil while I was gone. I really wanted to impress everyone with my food, but the only thing I had to offer them was what I had already been making that day: homemade pho made with beef bone broth and eye round steak with a side of spring rolls and dipping sauce.

Well, lucky for me, they loved the pho and the spring rolls were a big hit! But all three of my guests told me that it was the dipping sauce for the spring rolls that stole the show, so I’m really excited to offer you this recipe now! It’s something I just threw together, but sometimes those hastily-made kitchen experiments can be the best surprises!

Asian Spring Rolls

– Spring roll wrappers (buy here)
– Vermicelli rice noodles (buy here)
– Carrots, cut into matchsticks
– Cucumber, cut into matchsticks
– Avocado, cut into slices
– Bean sprouts
– Fresh basil
– Fresh mint

Prepare your rice noodles and vegetables first. I like to place them in individual bowls around me so they are easy to grab in the same order.

Next, in a medium skillet, heat up some water on the stove on LOW or until luke warm. Remove from heat, and submerge a single round rice paper in the water. Wait around 15-30 seconds or so until the rice paper becomes completely soft, but not falling apart/tearing.

Remove from the water and lay flat. I like to use a large wooden cutting board for this because it helps absorb extra water. Lay your vegetables in the same direction in the center of the wrap, and then fold over on three sides, and roll toward the fourth side.

To prevent rolls from sticking together as you stack them, you can brush a thin layer of sesame or olive oil on the outside of the rolls.

Dipping Sauce

– 1/2 cup organic peanut butter (buy here)
– 1/8 cup raw honey (buy here)
– 1/8 cup organic extra virgin olive oil (buy here)
– 1 TBSP organic sesame oil (buy here)
– 1/4 cup organic fermented unpasteurized soy sauce (buy here)
– Juice from half of an organic orange

Whisk all ingredients together, then spoon into a decorative dipping dish, and top with sesame seeds. Enjoy! These can be addicting!