Using Edible Flowers in your party desserts, drinks, salads and even main dishes adds a unique element to your celebration. They add color, elegance, a bit of whimsy, and also have an interesting range of tastes.
Search for what is in season in your area – your local farmers’ market is a great source for finding out what is available and they’ll often have much more variety than the grocery store. Always ask vendors how their flowers are grown (you don’t want to eat flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides!). You can also order edible flowers (fresh or crystallized, which are great for using atop desserts) from several sites online (Gourmet Sweet Botanicals, Marx Foods, Food Innovations).
I combined a few Spring Roll recipes, and added some beautiful edible flowers to arrive at this one. It most closely resembles the one in the Whole Foods cookbook. You can easily swap out the filling ingredients to what is available and according to your own preferences.
Edible Flower Spring Rolls
are a beautiful and delicious party food, or just to spoil yourself and your loved ones. Since they are best when freshly made (or served within 1 or 2 days) I reduced the ingredients by a third for a party of three.
Ingredients
- 1 7 ounce package rice sticks mai-fun (available in most large supermarkets)
- 4 cups Napa cabbage very thinly sliced
- 2 carrots ribboned (with potato peeler) or shredded
- 3 tbsp cilantro Leaves stems removed
- 1/2 cup fresh mint thinly sliced, stems removed
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves thinly sliced, stems removed
- 1/4 cup micro arugula greens or micro greens of your liking
- 2 scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal (both white and green parts)
- 1 1/2 cups edible, organic flowers stems removed
- 18 spring roll wrappers tapioca or rice flour wrappers
- 1 bottle Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce or your favorite dipping sauce
Instructions
- Have ready a sealable/air tight container, bottom lined with damp paper towels. Have a couple of additional wet paper towels (or lettuce leaves) ready to place over the finished spring rolls as you assemble them (to keep them from drying out.)
- In a medium size saucepan bring 2 quarts water to a boil; add noodles and cook for 3 minutes, stirring a few times to assure the noodles are submerged and cook evenly. Drain well, rinsing under cold water until noodles are cold.
- Set up assembly area on flat work surface; place a clean kitchen towel on the surface. Prepare vegetables and flowers, toss gently in a large bowl to distribute the ingredients rather evenly. Set aside near your assembly area.
- To soften the spring roll wrappers: Fill a large pan, (wide enough to lay spring roll wrapper out flat) with a couple of inches of very hot water. Place one spring wrapper into the water, submerging completely for about 30 seconds until it is soft and pliable.
To Assemble:
- To assemble: Lay the wrapper out on the towel; place 1/2 of the filling ingredients and 1/4 cup noodles in center of wrapper; roll the edge nearest you over the top of the ingredients, then pull back slightly to secure the ingredients in the fold, bring right side over to the middle, then the left side over to the middle, then roll up tightly to form the spring roll (as if making a burrito). Place in prepared damp paper towel (or lettuce leaf) lined container; cover spring roll with another wet paper towel or lettuce leaf. Continue with remaining spring rolls. If serving buffet display, keep spring rolls covered with wet lettuce leaves to keep them from drying out. (Tip: work with the wrappers one at a time; dip to soften then fill and roll before moving on to the next spring roll.)
Serve
- Serve with your favorite Spring Roll Dipping Sauce (available at most supermarkets).
Notes
Other fillings that you might like to swap for those listed above:
Fresh Bean Sprouts
Green Cabbage, very thinly sliced
Baby Spinach
Any fresh vegetables or herbs that you like
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 14gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 700mgPotassium: 572mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 8024IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 182mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
