Vietnamese sour tsunami fresh rolls

By Chef Sebastian Carosi

This must be one of my all-time favourite Asian-influenced dishes. You can rely on these rolls for a flavour-packed summer lunch or even a light dinner outside on a warm evening. With roots in Vietnam, fresh rolls are also known as summer rolls, nem cuon, goi cuon, Vietnamese rolls, nama harumaki, salad rolls, cold rolls, rice paper rolls, and spring rolls. I prefer calling them by what season it was when you gathered most of the ingredients used to make the rolls. 

I enjoy heaps of fresh mint, Thai basil, cilantro, and shaved vegetables like young carrot, cucumber and even daikon radish. With a handful of precooked light rice vermicelli noodles, crisp lettuce and fresh cannabis leaves wrapped tightly in a soft rice paper wrapper—a luscious vegetable blanket—these rolls are extremely healthy and light. Ready for a quick dunk into a spicy tang tang or peanut sauce, they are truly refreshing in the heat of the late spring or early summer sun. 

These dank green vegetable rolls are easily distinguished from other rolls by the fact that they are not fried. Quality is always important to keep in mind, especially if you are going to be eating raw cannabis. I tend to choose the younger tender shoots or leaves that have not been sprayed or treated with any chemicals. An abundant boost of raw vegetable protein, THCa, and CBDa is readily available in the raw cannabis and hemp leaves. The pair of dipping sauces is made utilizing full-spectrum cannabis-infused soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. I feel both sauces are completely vital to serve alongside these fresh rolls. One is savoury, sweet, and fatty. The other dank, dark, and salty. With several prerequisites filled—healthy, light, and slightly cannabis-infused—I am ready to dig in! 

When you decide to make these vibrant snacks at home, be sure to have all your ingredients and things in place and ready to go. The process of making the rolls is easy, and they disappear off the plate just as fast as you can roll them. Kinda like your old college buddies and rolled joints. Enjoy!

Vietnamese sour tsunami fresh rolls with peanut sauce and sweet + spicy tang tang sauce 

Prep time: 45 minutes 

Yield: 8 fresh rolls (serves 2-4)

Total THC/CBD: depends on the potency of the products used 

Status: stoner snack or super healthy lunch 

From the cannabis pantry: fresh young cannabis leaves, cannabis-infused rice wine vinegar, cannabis-infused soy sauce 

Equipment

Chef’s knife, cutting board, mandolin, 2 medium saucepans, tongs, 2 medium stainless-steel mixing bowls, large spoon or fork, small whisk, rasp 

Ingredients

8 8½-inch round rice paper wrappers

2 oz cooked rice vermicelli noodles 

12-15 fresh Thai basil leaves

24 fresh cilantro sprigs 

12-15 fresh mint leaves

8-12 small hearts of romaine leaves 

16-24 fresh young cannabis leaves 

16 5-inch long cucumber slices (peeled and seeded)

½ cup shredded carrot (on mandolin)

½ cup shredded daikon radish (on mandolin)

4 5-inch long pieces of fresh green onion or scallion

12 cooked shrimp or tofu, optional (cut shrimp in half and tofu in long pieces to fit in spring roll) 

Preparation

For noodles: Bring a saucepan of water to boil, add noodles, boil for 3-5 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. 

For wrappers: Fill a large bowl or container with warm water. Dip wrappers in warm water to soften. 

To assemble rolls: With wrapper flat, across the centre, lay 3 shrimp halves (if using shrimp), a handful of noodles, several basil, mint and cilantro leaves, cucumbers, carrots, daikon, hemp leaves, romaine hearts and green onions leaving 2 inches uncovered on each end. Next, fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end closest to you. Repeat this process until you are finished with 8 rolls. Serve rolls immediately with your choice of dipping sauces. Rolls can be cut to share. You can cover the premade rolls with a damp towel in the refrigerator for up to two hours but they should be eaten as soon as possible.

Peanut sauce 

Ingredients

1 cup chunky organic peanut butter

2 cloves fresh garlic (crushed and pulverized smooth)

2 tsp fresh ginger rasped (or grated)

2 tbsp cannabis soy sauce (made in the mb2e)

1 tbsp cannabis rice wine vinegar (made in the mb2e)

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp chilli sauce 

¼ to ½ cup warm water (more if you prefer a thinner sauce)

Preparation

In a stainless-steel bowl with a fork or a spoon, mix all the ingredients until incorporated well. If sauce is too thick for your liking, thin with more warm water. Set aside. 

Sweet + spicy tang tang sauce 

Ingredients

2 tbsp fish sauce 

2 tbsp cannabis soy (made in the mb2e)

¼ cup cannabis rice wine vinegar (made in the mb2e)

¼ cup river water (pond water will do if clean)

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

2 cloves garlic (finely minced)

¼ cup sugar 

2 tbsp chilli sauce 

1 tsp finely sliced fresh chilli rings 

Preparation

In a stainless-steel bowl with a whisk mix all the ingredients well. Refrigerate prior to use. 

To learn more about Chef Sebastian Carosi and his approach to cannabis cookery read our exclusive interview, Eat your damn greens! Chef Sebastain talks wildcrafting, cannabis cookery and his respect for the movement’s deep roots. Chef Sebastian generously shared this recipe with Heads Lifestyle. Now get in the kitchen and whip up something delicious! 

Equipment + product source: MB2e MagicalButter Machine

Photos: Chef Sebastian Carosi and Carla Asquith

More about Chef Sebastian Carosi and his projects here

Follow on Instagram at: @chef_sebatian_carosi