Summer rolls

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water
• 10 rice paper wrappers
• 4 ounces thin rice noodles or vermicelli
• ¾ cucumber, cut into thin sticks
• ½ cup shredded cabbage
• 10 small lettuce leaves
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
• Water

For peanut sauce:

• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• ½ teaspoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation

1. Make the pickled carrots: In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, water, salt, and vinegar. Add the carrots to the mixture, toss to coat well and let the carrots soak for at least 1 hour.
2. In the meantime, prepare the noodles according to the package instructions.
3. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with about 1 inch of warm water. Soak one wrapper at a time in the warm water for 10 to 15 seconds, just until it becomes soft and pliable.
4. Transfer the wrapper to a plate or cutting board and add a 
   lettuce leaf on top, in the center. Next, add a few carrot sticks, a few cucumber sticks, some of the shredded cabbage, some of the noodles, and then a few leaves of mint (and cilantro, if using).
5. Fold one side of the rice paper wrapper over the filling, then the other side. Roll the wrapper up around the filling, making sure it is tight but being careful not to tear the wrapper.
6. Set the filled rolls on a platter, seam side down.
7. Repeat this process until all of the filling and wrappers have been used up.
8. Make the peanut sauce: In a medium bowl, stir all the ingredients until well combined.
9. Cut each roll in half. Serve immediately with peanut sauce for dipping.
    

Yield: 10 rolls