Japanese and, in principle, Asian cuisine throughout the world is considered the most healthy and dietary. One has only to pay attention to those products that are included in the daily diet of the average Japanese: fresh seafood, vegetables, rice - dishes with such ingredients will not only not harm the figure, but will also improve the functioning of the entire body. For example, rice paper, popular in Japan, has only recently begun to appear in domestic restaurants and other food service establishments. What can you make from rice paper?
Benefits of rice paper
Making rice paper is quite simple. Rice powder is mixed with water and formed into thin cakes in the form of small sheets. They dry naturally on special wooden planks. Due to the uneven structure of the wood, white streaks also form on the surface of the rice paper sheet itself. Don’t expect to find a completely clean and smooth rice sheet - this will only indicate that the manufacturer’s technology for preparing rice paper was violated.
The beneficial properties of such a leaf are explained mainly by its main component - rice. It is a powerful natural sorbent, which allows this diet to get rid of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, restore the microflora of the stomach and the functionality of the intestines. The simple and inconspicuous rice leaf contains a large number of vitamins and microelements, including B vitamins that are beneficial for the female body.
Do not forget about the benefits of rice paper for those who are struggling with excess weight or watching their diet, adhering to the principles of proper nutrition. The calorie content of one hundred grams of rice paper is only 330 kilocalories. However, do not be alarmed: one leaf weighs less than nine grams. It’s not for nothing that slender Japanese people use dietary rice paper as a complete replacement for our traditional thin pancakes. By the way, in Japan, pancakes with rice paper are often used instead of pancakes - such a Maslenitsa definitely won’t hurt your figure!
What it is?
Edible rice paper is made from pure water and rice flour. The dough made from these ingredients is rolled out into a thin layer. This is the basis of this product.
This paper looks like a thin, almost transparent sheet with a pattern on it. It consists of stripes directed in different directions. They begin to appear after drying on wood nets.
The product is used not only to give dishes a special taste, but also to decorate them. Rice paper has a sweetish taste. It goes well with all ingredients in delicacies.
Recipes for health and a slim figure
Recipes with rice paper will make your daily menu much richer and healthier. Traditionally, in Japanese cuisine, such sheets are used as a replacement for nori or traditional thin pancakes. Unlike the latter, such paper is harmless to the figure and health. The following recipes with rice paper have become the most popular among our housewives:
- Spring rolls. Or in our opinion, vegetable rolls with rice paper. Vegetables cut into strips (bell pepper, cucumber) are wrapped in a soaked sheet of paper (it needs to be soaked for an average of ten seconds). All this is seasoned with traditional Japanese mayonnaise and served fresh. The beauty of the dish is its naturalness and accessibility.
- Dessert. Rice paper is great for making sweet rolls. If you're watching your figure, you can cook apples in rice paper. Pre-cut fruit or bake apples. Cut the filling into cubes, you can season it with cinnamon and add a little cream cheese and low-calorie yogurt. Another alternative rice paper dessert is rolls. Wrap mascarpone cheese with powdered sugar and banana or strawberries in a soaked sheet. This dessert will convince even your men that rice paper is not just edible, but also extremely tasty.
On the Internet you can find a large number of recipes with rice paper with photos - fashion bloggers and culinary photos are full of options for preparing this traditional product in Asian cuisine. Bon appetit!
Sauces for spring rolls
You can diversify the taste of rolls using various sauces. They can be ready-made or purchased, or you can also make them yourself at home.
Fish sauce with garlic
For the sauce:
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar,
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce,
- 1 glass of water,
- 15 grams of sugar,
- 1 head of garlic, crushed (optional)
- 15 grams of grated carrots.
In a saucepan, combine rice vinegar, fish sauce, water and sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then let cool completely. Add garlic and carrots. Store in the refrigerator for about a week.
Peanut sauce
- 1/2 cup salted natural peanut or almond butter,
- 15 g soy sauce,
- 2-3 large spoons of brown sugar or maple syrup (add to taste)
- juice from 1/2 medium lime
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic sauce,
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (optional)
- hot water (for dilution).
Make the peanut sauce by adding all ingredients except water to a bowl and whisking. Add hot water 1 large spoon at a time and stir until desired consistency is reached (it should pour but remain thick).
Carrot sauce
- 1 cup finely grated sweet carrots
- ⅔ glass of water,
- 2 large spoons of rice vinegar,
- 2 tablespoons olive oil,
- 10 g fresh ginger, finely grated
- 5 grams of salt and the same amount of ground pepper,
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar,
- 5 grams of red pepper pieces.
Add carrots and water to the saucepan. Bring carrots to a boil, cover and cook for 5 minutes. To a blender, add the carrots (including the cooking water), rice vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, ginger, salt, pepper and sugar.
Stir until all ingredients are well mixed. Pour a portion into a dish and add red pepper slices to it. Allow the sauce to cool, then place in the refrigerator until completely chilled. Serve with fresh rolls!
Laying out the filling
When preparing spring rolls, there are certain features of laying out ingredients. The cook needs to roll the filling quite tightly. The roll is wrapped inward from itself towards the center, starting to perform the operation from the bottom. The side parts also go inward. In a similar way, Russian housewives roll cabbage rolls into cabbage leaves.
Once wrapped, the rolls can be served raw or fried. There is an option to cut the roll diagonally. This will make the appearance of the dish more aesthetic and show the filling of seafood, meat or vegetables.
There are a number of unspoken rules for preparing the filling that experienced chefs use:
Add extra crunch with greens and vegetables. Bean sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, and celery will serve well.
Achieve unique taste and aroma thanks to fresh herbs (mint, basil, cilantro).
Cut vegetables into thin strips. Firm meats and seafood are pre-fried in a wok with soy sauce and sesame oil.
Features of Asian cuisine. Nuoc Cham - a classic treat
The Vietnamese variation of European ketchup will serve as a rich sauce for spring rolls. Nuoc Cham will brightly brighten up the natural palette of flavors and add new notes of a spicy aftertaste.
Products used:
- 120 ml fish sauce;
- 30 ml hot water;
- 30 ml rice wine vinegar;
- 30 ml lime juice;
- 1 chili pepper;
- 40 g garlic powder;
- 30 g sugar.
Cooking processes:
- Cut the small chili pepper into thin rings and set aside.
- Mix sugar with hot water until the sweet sand is completely dissolved.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir.
Sesame oil and onions will satisfyingly complement the traditional range of flavors of the sauce. Replace the water with coconut water; this manipulation will fully reveal the culinary potential of the products.
Basics of Exotic Cooking
In reality, the product is a dried thin layer of dough, round or square in shape.
Its preparation was mastered in China, Vietnam, Thailand and other countries many centuries ago. The recipe consists of only three ingredients: rice flour, water and salt.
They make a blank similar to a pancake analogue, which is then rolled out and dried. This simple method produces translucent sheets of paper with a soft, sweet taste and a delicate melting texture.
Sometimes another component is included in the rice dough - tapioca. This cereal, consisting of more than 80% starch, imparts stickiness to the composition.
Sen Soy
As a result of the laconic list of ingredients, the resulting dough is a mixture that is practically useless for the body. It contains only complex carbohydrates, a small content of phosphorus and vitamin B6. True, the lack of fat and low calorie content give the product value as a dietary product, and the absence of gluten makes it suitable for food in the presence of intolerance to this substance.
The simplicity of the composition and taste of the plant product is compensated by the wide possibilities of use.
The layers do not overwhelm other food delicacies and spices, and in addition have an attractive appearance due to their light transparency. Therefore, in those dishes where it is necessary to put together components or decorate them, paper has become indispensable. However, the product itself is amenable to some methods of transformation.
The uniqueness of the product lies in the complete absence of contraindications. There have been no cases of allergies or other negative reactions, but the leaves are usually consumed in small quantities.
Thin and fragile
How to do it at home?
Many people claim that you can make rice paper sheets yourself at home. To get started, take some of the ingredients you need during cooking:
- rice flour (400 grams);
- chilled flour (150 grams);
- salt (25 grams).
First you need to pour the flour through a sieve. Salt is poured into it and water is poured. Knead the dough and knead the mixture thoroughly for at least 15-20 minutes.
Place the dough in a separate container and cover with a napkin. Wait 30-40 minutes. After this, roll out the mass until it forms a thin transparent sheet.
Then sprinkle the rolled out mixture with cooled flour. The mass is cut into squares. Their size should be 15x15 centimeters. Dry the pieces thoroughly and they will be completely ready to eat.
Gastronomic tradition of spring
It is impossible to imagine Chinese cuisine without rolls. An innumerable number of their types can attract even the most sophisticated gourmet. Rice products often appear in cooking recipes, as they can add both aesthetic and taste to a dish. The layers serve as wrapping material and can easily replace nori seaweed, pita bread, omelette or other components.
Spring rolls got their name from the tradition of preparing them on Chinese New Year, which is celebrated in the spring. The internal filling is most often seafood, vegetables, meat, but there are even sweet fruit products.
Spring rolls
A classic variety of this food, the preparation of which is simply unthinkable without rice paper, is spring or spring rolls. In the photo they look like small rolled spring rolls. The methods for preparing this dish are varied, but all the recipes are simple and easy to master even for a beginner. And as a result, you can get a truly fresh, crispy and very unusual dish.
- Recipe 1. To prepare spring rolls, start with the filling, in this version you need cucumber, carrots, avocado, romaine lettuce (similar to lettuce) and cilantro. Vegetables are cut into thin strips, greens are torn into pieces. Place the mixture of ingredients into soaked rice paper and roll it up like cabbage rolls, tightly, tucking up the edges. The dish is ready to eat!
- Recipe 2. This variety requires a little more effort, since the rolls are fried at the final stage. Ingredients: rice noodles, carrots, bean sprouts, garlic, cabbage, soy sauce. Vegetables are cut into strips, crushed garlic is fried in a frying pan in oil, cabbage, carrots, and beans are added to it.
Dried dough has a very fragile structure. To soften it and make it suitable for culinary experiments, the leaf is immersed in hot water for a few seconds, then laid out on a towel or simply allowed to drain off excess moisture. The layer becomes elastic and durable.
After a few moments, add pre-soaked (5 minutes in warm water) noodles, a tablespoon of sauce, and remove from heat. The filling is ready, then rolls are formed and fried on each side. You can place them on a napkin, let the oil drain, and then serve them on the table with hot sauce.
Healthy eating
Hoisin - kitchen nuances of the taste of distant China
A savory dressing is a flavorful, tangy sauce often used in Asian vegetable stir-fries. Made from a combination of garlic, vinegar and chili.
Products used:
- 110 ml soy sauce;
- 100 ml water;
- 80 ml of soybean liquid;
- 40 ml olive oil;
- 40 ml chili paste;
- 30 ml rice vinegar;
- 1 clove of garlic;
- 30 g ground ginger.
To prepare, chop the garlic and fry it with ginger in a frying pan. During frying, add all the liquid ingredients of the recipe, mix thoroughly and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add red rice if desired.
