Crab Summer Rolls with Cashew Butter Dipping Sauce

This week I got a copy of Crab by Andrea Froncillo and Jennifer Jeffery from Jaden (of Steamy Kitchen) and Jennifer. I was going to try one of the recipes from the book but when I saw Jadens post about Vietnamese summer rolls with cashew butter dipping sauce I decided to try making crab summer rolls. I had originally bookmarked the recipe for Goi Cuon when I saw it on Oishii Eats. The summer rolls looked nice and light and fresh and the cashew dipping sauce sounded really tasty. This was my first time working with crab, rice paper, vermicelli and cashew butter. I got some frozen precooked crab that was still in the shell from a local fish monger. It was a bit of a challenge to get the meat out of the shell. The summer rolls came together fairly easily, though my skills at wrapping them are some what lacking. I will have to practice a bit more. :) The crab summer rolls turned out pretty good. They were soft and crisp and crunchy and refreshing. The mint and Thai basil in the rolls was really nice. I quite liked the crab meat and I look forward to having it again. Next week I will have to try a recipe from the book.

Crab Summer Rolls

Ingredients:
* rice vermicelli
8 ounces crab
8 sheets rice paper (8" diameter)
8 leaves lettuce
1 carrot (julienned)
1 cucumber (julienned)
1 red pepper (julienned)
1 mango (sliced thinly)
16 mint leaves
16 basil leaves (preferable Thai)

Directions:
1. Cook the rice vermicelli as directed on the package. (Boil vermicelli for 4 minutes and drain.)
2. Warm the crab meat by boiling it in water for 1-3 minutes.
3. Dip the rice paper in water take it out and shake off the excess water and pat dry with a paper towel.
4. Place the rice paper on a dry surface and wrap all of the ingredients.
5. Repeat until all are done.




The cashew butter dipping sauce was really tasty. You could easily make this dipping sauce with peanut butter but the cashew butter was a nice change from the ordinary. The sauce was creamy and cashewy and the sweet and spicy was well balanced. I will definitely be making this sauce again!

Cashew Butter Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon oil
1 clove garlic (chopped)
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons cashew butter
4 tablespoons water

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan.
2. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the hoisin sauce, sugar, chili sauce, cashew butter and water and bring to a simmer.
4. Take off the heat.

Serve with:
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Similar Recpies:
Vietnamese Summer Roll Salad
Crab Quesadillas
Cashew Butter Chicken
Thai Green Bean and Crab Salad
Crab Mac and Cheese