Tataki is a Japanese method of preparing fish or meat—the meat is briefly seared on the outside, then marinated in vinegar. It is a perfect choice in these Tuna Tataki Vietnamese spring rolls.
Tuna Tataki Vietnamese Summer Rolls
Print This Recipe Yield 12Source Adapted from La Fuji MamaPublishedTuna Tataki may be purchased online at www.ILoveBlueSea.com
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon apricot jam
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoon asian fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon prepared chili-garlic sauce
- 12 rice paper wrappers
- butter lettuce torn into bite size pieces as needed
- assortment of vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, diakon cut into matchsticks, as needed
- mint leaves and sprigs as needed
- ½ pound tuna tataki, thinly sliced on an angle
Directions
Make the dipping sauce: Mix together the honey and apricot jam in a small bowl. Slowly stir in the warm water, continuing to stir until well-combined. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Taste and add more water as desired to adjust the strength of the sauce.
Make the summer rolls: Start by dipping a rice-paper wrapper in warm water for about 5 seconds. Long enough to slightly soften, but not so long that they tear or become difficult to work with. You will notice that they begin to get pliable and transparent. This is your indicator that they have been in the water long enough. They will continue to soften after they leave the water, so don’t over soak them.
Getting a picture perfect roll starts with a solid base. Begin by laying the moistened wrapper onto a plate or work surface. Lay 3 or 4 lettuce pieces, about ¼ cup matchstick veggies, and a few mint leaves in a small elongated pile at the bottom third of the wrapper, centered side to side. Getting a tight roll depends on this step, so make sure to arrange these ingredients into a firm cylinder. The exact size depends on the wrapper you are using and should be about half of the overall diameter.
Fold each side of the wrapper inwards, meeting in the center. Fold the bottom flap of the cylinder up and over the ingredients. Creating a vertical rectangle with a rounded top. Be precise with your folds. They are hard to redo due to the sticky nature of the wrapper.
Working from the bottom, maintaining a neat uniform shape, roll the wrapper ½ turn so that the lettuce and veggies are facing up. Place 2 or 3 slices of tuna tataki and a few more veggies and sprigs of mint in a line just above the wrapped cylinder of rolled ingredients. Keep in mind that these are the ingredients that will have a window on the world so choose them well and arrange them artistically. You may trim the ingredients to fit inside the roll, or you may let them overhang one or both sides, depending on your presentation and aesthetic.
Continue to roll the rest of the way. If you come across any stiff sections of the rice-paper, simply moisten them with a wet finger, and do the same for the final edge to seal it. Repeat with the other wrappers. Serve them whole or cut in half with lemon wedges and dipping sauce on the side.
I enjoyed reading this memory of Australian summer Christmas’ and Nana’s less than stellar custard. It’s funny how some food memories are not just ones we liked but sometimes we feel as strongly about the ones that made us whimper.
Thank you everyone for your sweet sweet comments. It’s not always easy to write about family memories but you all make it much easier. Thanks for having me Greg — it was an honour 🙂 So envious of your trip — loving the tweets!
Thanks Mardi, and Greg for getting Mardi to do this post. Custard tarts are my absolute favourite dessert (heck, main course even) and thankfully now that I have the recipe, I will stop spending the fortune at the bakery!! Love love love this post.
Mardi: I loved the sweetness of this story… I adore the language of unspoken love in families and you told your story in a light and memorable way. I am sure Nana would have been so proud of your tarts, writing and everything else.
I wouldn’t tan either, and once before my tennis lesson as a kid, I applied “Sudden Tan” to my legs so I wouldn’t be embarrassed. Unfortunately I didn’t consider the heat, and my legs “ran” faster than I did during my game. Gorgeous tarts and love the idea of using puff pastry for these.
Lovely post. It touched on some good memories for me, too, as a child. I don’t have fair skin like you but as a pre-teen my best friend and I were so obsessed about being tan like our friend’s older sister that we would overdo it and get sunburned whenever we stayed with their family for weeks at a time. Still fun, though.
I’ve been meaning to make Portuguese custard tarts for weeks but haven’t gotten around to it. I love that yours highlight one of my favorite tastes of summer: Coconut. I’m saving this recipe.
Love this guest post from Mardi, and that the tarts are an ode to Hawaiian Tropic coconut oil. They look delicious 😉
Great post, Mardi! I was chuckling reading your memories of Nana and her custard abomination, but we all know how important is not to hurt the ones we love, even if we have to pretend:)
The individual tartlets look adorable, and I can only imagine the way they taste, enriched with wonderful coconut.
Always nice to see some of my favorite people joining forces. Thanks for the tasty walk down memory lane Mardi and enjoy Norway Greg!
I love this post…made me laugh! :))
I’ve had custard tarts, but not a coconut one…that is a must-try!
than your very own plate of 2, or 3, or 20 tiny little golden tarts? I think not! Much to my dermatologist’s horror, I used to tan like a bugger when I was a kid. Now I am a walking skin-cancer time bomb. Pale is good, pale is healthy, pale is cool. — S
I’m sure your Nana would have thoroughly enjoyed your tart! The pastry looks wonderful and the addition of the coconut is a wonderful touch. I love your thought process behind the idea to add it. How nice of your neighbours to leave you a little treat on the occasional Sunday mornings!
What a wonderful guest post! I love seeing Mardi here telling such a delicious story.
I’ve loved custard from an early age — but this might have been different if it had been thickened with gelatine (I’d never heard of such a thing).
Does the cornflour stop the custard from going lumpy when you heat it?
I’m going to have another go at making these little tarts with your recipe.