Are these Spring Rolls or Summer Rolls? How about Gỏi cuốn in Vietnamese and chūn-jǔan in Chinese? I am feeling seasonally and geographically dyslexic. Oh, did I mention mine were adapted from La Fuji Mama and feature tataki tuna, a Japanese method of quickly searing meat or fish? Confused much?
To further muddle your mind, I’ll tell you this. In Vietnam, Gỏi cuốn is literally translated as “spring roll” and is typically made with fresh ingredients and is not fried. But in the U.S. we prefer to call this type of hand-held “salad roll” a “summer roll”.
In China chūn-jǔan also translates into the phrase “spring roll”. But there it can be fried or fresh, depending on the region. So for the purposes of my sanity, I think I’ll call anything fresh and salad-like that is rolled in rice paper wrappers “summer rolls”, and anything fried in a wonton wrapper I’ll call “spring rolls”. At least until I change my mind, because the truth is not really that simple, and honestly I just don’t care.
Because I am really here to talk about Tataki.
According to La Fuji Mama “Tataki is a Japanese method of preparing fish or meat– the meat is briefly seared on the outside, then marinated in vinegar.” Making it a perfect choice for these Vietnamese “summer rolls” which are full of ingredients as fresh as spring. There I have covered my great big HTML ass!
It’s not hard to make tataki at home. All you need is a good sized, sushi-grade fillet of tuna, with its blood line removed. Please choose something sustainable like skipjack tuna.
Prepare an ice bath. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, pressing them both into the fillet to adhere. In a non-stick or cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat briefly sear both sides of the tuna in a little oil. When the surface has just started to cook and appears marbled, plunge the fillet into the ice bath to cool completely, then pat with a paper towel until completely dry.
Next, in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold your tuna laying flat, mix enough soy sauce and rice vinegar in an even ratio to come about halfway up the side of the fish. Let marinate in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour. Then turn the fillet over and marinate another 1/2 hour. Note: Do not marinate for more than about one hour as the tuna will lose its natural flavor)
To serve the fish in these summer rolls cut the fish into thin slices on the bias across the grain.
See what I mean. That’s where the phrase easy as tataki comes from.
But I have a little secret. I did not prepare this tuna tataki myself. Instead, this tuna tataki is from I Love Blue Sea. CLICK here to buy some yourself. Because guess what. This is one of those times when I can buy it better than I can make it at home. I am not one to admit that too often so I hope you are taking notes.
Tataki Tuna Vietnamese Summer Rolls makes 12
adapted from La Fuji Mama for detailed instructions on rolling and a printable recipe CLICK here
SERIOUS FUN FOOD
Greg Henry
Sippity Sup
Growing up it was always a sweet treat for us to get to eat at DQ! I still love to go as an adult!
Yep, I remember cruising past DQ outlets while on the way from suburban D.C. to the Eastern Shore in Maryland; nothing but sand dunes, trashy motels and soft-serve in a cup. But, you can write a treatise on recreating the bliss but not the ideal ice cream to accompany the delish dish? Nu-uh!
My personal off-the-shelf rec is Breyers Natural Vanilla Ice Cream, with it’s ultra-purity ingredient list of cream, milk, sugar and vanilla (okay, this year, for the first time, Breyers sank so low as to add gum for texture. Sigh.). But for those gastro-techies, a nice Cuisinart machine and a good recipe from Turntable Kitchen might be better.
Thanks for the idea! EricO
And I thoroughly enjoyed your recollections because they sound similar to my vacations as a kid. Car trips only, never a cruise or flight. But I loved those trips, even crammed in the back of an old Plymouth without AC.
DQ dilly bars were my favorite ever, I never got the banana splits.
You know who DOESN’T like DQ? Corky St Clair will tell you.…“bastard people!” 🙂
Thanks Adair and Greg for a lovely humorous post. Who knew that there was room for Dallas-Cali fusion food? Dalifornia? Or Callas?…Callas doesn’t sound very pleasing. 🙂
…and everyone for your comments. Was honored to be part of this terrific series.
Thanks for the southern summer lovin! Now I can’t get the image of you in cowboy boots and daisy dukes out of my heat
I have seen all of his movies so many times, but that is the best…
I grew up two blocks from a DQ, and with one dollar you could buy a hamburger, fries, drink and have enough left for a hot fudge Sundae…oh and penny candy across the street at the convenient store…sorry the hick in me came out 🙂
I might have to make one when my sister arrives this week…she will bring out the hick in me even more…
I was a Peanut Buster Parfait or a chocolate dip cone girl. Last time I went to the DQ was while I lived in Texas. FYI, I think we are food soulmates — on occasion I lick my bowl clean (at home). Purr — fect post.
more than a few great summer memories for me with this post. We had a DQ just a town over when I was a kid, and a brazier and a blizzard was a combo that just couldn’t be beat. Only once a summer would we get the nod to order a banana split as our WHOLE MEAL…the ultimate dessert for dinner treat. — S
Adair, I grew up in Colorado and my parents would drive us to DQ all the time. I always got the peanut butter buster parfait… yes I still remember. On my honeymoon (in Colorado) we drove to DQ and yes I ordered it, scraped the bottom fudge sauce with my spoon, licked it clean! GOOD TIMES…
I definitely had a deprived childhood since I never went to Dairy Queen or Stuckey’s — seems like I definitely have more things to add to the Bucket List!!
Love the food styling… that red bandanna is awesome:-)!!!
Adair: you brought back memories of our fantastic road trip across USA (East to West coast and back), last summer. We stopped for parfaits and ‘nana splits at DQ, upon repeat requests from my kids, on our way to the grand Canyon. Your version sounds lickety split d’lish and oh so NOT white trash!!!
You are definitely not white trash!
What wonderful memories. I too have those same sort of memories but I grew up in a small town in Maine and it was a big trip to go to Boston or the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
It’s been so long since I’ve been inside a DQ but the last thing I had was a peanut buster parfair. Don’t ask me why I remembered the name!
Lovely post.