Fresh Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce

These are my favorite food. This dish is fresh, easy'ish' to whip up, and actually saves well in the fridge so you can enjoy the goodness for days!!  These seem quite intimidating at first to make, but once you do it once they are a sinch!!  I love making them with some satay chicken (essentially I just put chicken tenders on a stick with some salt and pepper) and then I use the peanut sauce for them too.  They just seem to round out the dish and makes it more of a meal...and I'm my kids hero if I make any dish that includes meat on a stick!!

Spring Rolls
10 rice paper (found in most grocery store Asian isles)
2 cups shredded iceburg lettuce
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cucumber deseeded and sliced thin
30 large shrimp cooked (I like to buy raw and then sautee with some butter, salt, pepper, and a pinch of yellow curry powder)

Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp ground peanuts
salt and pepper to taste

For the spring rolls, get a bowl with warm water big enough to submerge the rice paper.  Soak the rice paper for 30 seconds or until the paper is slightly pliable.  Lay flat and then put 3 tbsp lettuce, 1 tbsp carrots, 1 tbsp cilantro, and a few sticks of cucumber.  Fold over once side of the rice paper so the veggies are covered.  Place three shrimp on top of the rice paper with the veggies underneath.  Fold the two sides over, and then roll into the remaining side.  Think burrito when doing this.  There is no real wrong way to do this...it's just the easiest way I have found to keep the shrimp and veggies in tact while getting the tightest roll.

For the peanut sauce, combined all ingredients except peanuts in a small stockpot and whisk together until well incorporated.  Bring to a light simmer and then turn off heat.  Salt and pepper to taste and then transfer to a bowl.  Top with peanuts and serve along side the spring rolls.  I like to add a little sweet chili sauce to the dipping process too for a little extra sweet and spicy mix!!