Spring rolls for a summer-day lunch

On my way back from the grocery shopping trip, I was hungry like a wolf after a full morning of walking. It's tempting to thrust something into the stomach just to fill it up. But I told myself that I must eat well. So I thought about a doable menu for lunch. A quick baked spring roll dish would be great, and a salad, too. But it'll take 20 minutes to get it done. Meanwhile, to quench my thirst, I'd really appreciate something cool and refreshing. What about a minted mixed drink!

So on my last stop of the grocery trip, I picked up a bottom of Perrier. Perrier is a spring water with a distinctive character. I know many people don't like it. I did not either, when I tried it the first time. But my memory on it was strong, and mixed. Today when I thought of mixing a light minted drink, Perrier came to my mind as a great candidate. I like it because, unlike most soda drinks in US, the bubbles come out very gradually and gently. The taste of minerals give the creme de menthe and lemon some substance.


Recipe: Minted Perrier (1 glass)

Ingredients:
- 0.5 fl oz green creme de menthe
- 1-2 tp lemon juice
- about 1 glass Perrier original
- a few ice cubes

Procedure:
Mix creme de menthe and lemon juice in a glass. Add ice. Then add Perrier slowly and fill to the top. Stir and serve.

Imagine sipping a drink like this while preparing lunch! It's in this experiment that I get to understand fully the benefit of an appetizer. The day is hot, and my stomach is really hungry. I could have allowed myself to mindlessly fill up with junk food. But then, with a glass of mixed drink, the anticipation of a nice lunch makes it so much easier to delay gratification. The spring rolls take 10 minutes to prepare and about 5 minutes to bake. The spring roll wrappers I get are really handy. Once defrosted, they are rather dry, and can be kept in tightly wrapped plastic bag for days in the fridge. They also cook really fast.

Recipe: Baked pork spring rolls (for 1)

Ingredients:
- 3-4 oz cooked pork, shredded or pulled apart
- 1-2 tp broad bean paste
- 1-2 tp hoisin sauce
- 1/2 tp dark soy sauce
- 1 TB sesame oil
- 1/4 cup stock or water
- 3 sheets of spring roll wrappers

Procedure:
1. Mix broad bean paste, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil. Add the mixture and the pork to stock/water in a small sauce pan. Heat on hot and allow to boil until the liquid dries off and the pork has absorbed all the flavor.
2. Place 2-3 TB pork in a sheet of wrapper. Roll up and set on parchment paper.
3. Brush the top of each roll with a little water. Bake at 400F in toaster oven for 1-2 minutes. Then reduce heat to 300F and continue baking until top is lightly brown.
4. Serve hot, with bulgogi sauce, if desired.

While the spring rolls are baking, the 5 minutes are just enough for a salad of artichoke hearts, romaine lettuce, tomato and celery, with a sprinkle of caper and walnuts.

Such is a day well lived!