Vegetable Roll: What You Should Know Before Ordering
If you like a spicy and crunchy snack, it's likely that you'll really enjoy feasting on a delicious vegetable roll or two. According to Our Everyday Life, these rolls are often referred to as spring rolls. Plus, it's possible to enjoy them either hot or cold. What's more, you could deep fry the rolls if you're looking for extra crispy results or you could choose a healthier option and avoid the frying process altogether and grill your roll instead.
Another thing that's important to mention is that these rolls are incomplete without some kind of sauce. There are many possibilities: a sauce that's both sweet and savory, an extra spicy dip, a mild sauce, and more. There are different variations too: You could be enjoying an egg roll or a spring roll that has no meat and is simply filled with plenty of wholesome vegetables of your choice.
Interestingly, as per Taste Atlas, vegetable rolls are often beef rolls, too. That might sound contradictory, but it's true! A typical vegetable roll often looks like a huge sausage and is garnished with onions and herbs. The dish, it is believed, has been around for a long time and gained popularity after the end of the World War when people were able to stock up on food items such as beef again.
Vegans need to be careful with vegetable rolls
According to a piece by Spruce Eats, spring rolls owe their name to the Chinese Spring festival. They were originally created without meat and simply had veggies and spices. The filling can include yummy ingredients, like black mushrooms, bean sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, and more. The sauce is prepared separately. Of course, you'll also need wrappers for your rolls after you're done with the filling.
Also, if you follow a vegan diet and decide to order spring rolls while eating at a restaurant, it's important to double-check with the staff members about the ingredients. You see, the wrappers are often made using eggs, which makes the dish less than ideal for those on a vegan diet. However, it's possible to buy vegan wrappers and prepare the dish at home. As per Vegan Foundry, spring rolls are best enjoyed as a side dish. Egg rolls, on the other hand, are much bigger in size.
Vegetable rolls can be difficult to get right
Vegetable rolls are as delicious as they look. However, it's not easy to always ensure that they always taste exactly the way they should. Redditors had a long discussion about this topic on a thread. A Reddit user wrote, "For me, it comes down to the wrap and the cook time. If the wrap is crispy, thin, and flaky, and the cabbage and stuff cooked enough to have some crunch but not taste raw, that's a good spring roll."
Meanwhile, another commentator opined that they're almost always content if they can get a fantastic dipping sauce with their roll. Another person mentioned that you'll notice the sheer difference in flavors when you try to order the dish at different eateries. You can't be sure until you actually taste your first bite. Oh, well! It's perhaps wise to do your research and check reviews beforehand to know what you're getting into.
Vegetable rolls can be healthy with some tweaks
Well, conventional wisdom states that anything fried is bad for you. But of course, if you choose an alternative cooking method, vegetable rolls can be quite healthy for you. As per Slender Kitchen, the Vietnamese version of this dish is quite wholesome. It has lots of vegetables and each roll has around 40 calories at the most. It's also possible to customize the recipe based on your preferences.
One of the easiest ways to make sure that you're consuming a healthy meal is by replacing flour with rice paper for your rolls (via Indian Express.) Need another piece of good news? Rice paper is low-maintenance and doesn't require a lot of prep. Yay! Also, if you're ordering a vegetable roll at a restaurant, ask them whether a non-fried version is available and check with the server about the ingredients in case you don't eat meat.