As spring slowly approaches, it seems like the perfect time to talk about a dish that is served at the Spring Festival, Lunar New Year. Spring rolls started as thinly made pancakes that were wrapped with all of the fresh vegetables of the new season.
Here in North America we have taken that tradition and broken it into something that is visually pleasing enough to eat. This dish also eliminates the time consuming task of wrapping the guts of this meal into a roll. When you’re thinking of what to make for dinner that appeases the attention of your Instagram followers, look no further. The transformation of dishes, into a deconstructed form, has become ‘a thing’ across menus over the continents to reimagine favourite dishes, show off the fresh ingredients and ‘elevate’ the form. For our purposes, as busy parents who fly in the door and still want a meal with ‘real’ food in under twenty minutes, deconstructed is our sweet spot.
Recipes that can be very flexible with ingredients, use one or two pans, make very little mess and please all ages are the mid-week version of perfection. For this recipe, if you don’t have minced pork – use chicken or turkey. Beef if you’re savage. If you don’t have vermicelli noodles in your kitchen, rice or regular pasta will do the trick. If you don’t feel like shredding carrots, use peas, beans or water chestnuts for texture. Don’t skip the sesame oil; it is the difference between a good dish, and a great one.
Spring Roll Bowls
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. finely chopped peeled ginger
1 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 head of shredded green cabbage
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sriracha (optional)
1 Tsp salt
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds – toast them if you have time!
Directions:
Step 1
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat vegetable oil. Add garlic and ginger and cook about 1 minute.
Step 2
Add pork and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces – 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 3
Add cabbage, onion, and carrot then stir to combine with meat. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha. Cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage is tender, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt.
Step 4
Divide pork mixture among bowls over vermicelli noodles or rice. Top with green onions and sesame seeds. A little sweet chili Thai sauce is great on top!
