Spring Rolls with Spicy Apricot-Ginger Sauce

Skip the shrimp and peanut sauce, and enjoy my top allergy-friendly take on spring rolls, a traditional favorite in South Asian cooking. I love a simple mix of fillings, and the edible rice wrappers are a delicious delivery system of whatever crunchy vegetables you have on hand, including julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, purple cabbage or light leafy greens.

Makes: 12-16 springs rolls
Free of: gluten and all top allergens

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut horizontally into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp ginger powder, divided
  • 1 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  • 1/4 cup light or full-fat canned coconut milk (See Recipe Note)
  • 4 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
  • 4 oz cellophane or rice vermicelli (mai fun) noodles
  • 12-16 round rice paper wrappers
  • 3-4 oz microgreens or baby spinach leaves
  • 1 medium red bell pepper or carrot, julienned
  • Fresh mint and/or Thai basil leaves

Recipe Tips

A Note on Coconut       Coconut is technically a fruit. While most allergists do not consider it a tree nut, if you are nut allergic, ask your doctor if coconut is safe for you.

Instructions

  1. Place chicken, orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder in a medium bowl and stir to evenly coat. Let sit 15 minutes.
  2. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
  3. Cook noodles according to package directions.
  4. For the Sauce, in a small bowl, whisk preserves, coconut milk, vinegar, red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder to combine. Set aside.
  5. Fill a pie dish with very warm water. Soak a rice paper wrapper in the water about 10 seconds. It will be more pliable, but still a bit firm. Place it on a plastic mat or cutting board and let sit 30-60 seconds.
  6. Place a small handful of cooked noodles on bottom third of wrapper. Top with some greens, bell pepper or carrot slices, a few herb leaves and cooked chicken.
  7. Gently pull up rice paper under filling and like a burrito, roll wrapper over filling, fold both wrapper sides in and continue rolling. Set seam side down on serving plate.
  8. Repeat steps 5-7 until filling ingredients are used up. Serve spring rolls with small bowls of apricot-ginger sauce.

is a contributing editor to Allergic Living magazine and the author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance and Casein Free Living, and founder of http://www.godairyfree.com