Fresh Summer Rolls: A Taste of Asia at Home
Fresh Summer Rolls with Ingredients from May Asian Market
On a warm afternoon in Parkersburg, there’s something about fresh, crisp flavors that feels like sunshine on your plate. Walking into May Asian Market, you can almost imagine yourself in a bustling Southeast Asian market, the air filled with the scent of fresh herbs and the vibrant colors of vegetables. That’s where summer rolls begin: bright, fragrant, and alive with flavor.
Summer rolls are simple to make, healthy, and endlessly adaptable. They are the perfect antidote to a heavy meal or a hot day, and they invite creativity with every roll you assemble. Best of all, when you pick up your ingredients from May Asian Market, you know you’re getting the freshest herbs, the most delicate rice paper, and authentic sauces that bring your rolls to life.
Ingredients (makes 6–8 rolls)
Wraps:
6–8 rice paper sheets (available in the Asian groceries aisle at May Asian Market)
Protein:
1/2 lb cooked shrimp, thinly sliced, or firm tofu for a vegetarian option
Optional: cooked vermicelli noodles for added texture
Vegetables & Herbs:
1 small cucumber, julienned
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 cup fresh lettuce leaves or baby spinach
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh cilantro leaves
Fresh Thai basil leaves
Dipping Sauce:
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
Water to thin if needed
Optional: crushed peanuts for garnish
Instructions
Fill a large shallow dish with warm water. Dip one rice paper sheet in the water for 5–10 seconds until soft but not too flimsy. Lay flat on a clean surface.
Place a few slices of protein in the center of the rice paper. Add a small handful of lettuce, cucumber, carrot, herbs, and noodles if using.
Fold the sides of the rice paper over the filling, then roll tightly from the bottom up. Repeat with remaining sheets.
To make the dipping sauce, whisk together hoisin sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Add water a little at a time until smooth. Top with crushed peanuts if desired.
Serve fresh with the dipping sauce on the side.
A Bite of Summer
Making summer rolls is like painting with food. Each roll is a canvas of color: the deep green of mint and basil, the bright orange of carrots, the soft pink of shrimp. Rolling them is meditative; it slows you down, turning dinner into a hands-on experience.
Shopping at May Asian Market brings that experience full circle. Our produce is chosen for freshness, our herbs are fragrant and alive, and our rice paper and sauces are authentic and ready to transform your kitchen into an Asian-inspired escape. You don’t need to travel far for a taste of something bright, fresh, and full of life. It’s right here in Parkersburg, waiting for you to roll it, bite it, and savor it.
Summer rolls are more than a meal. They are a reminder that cooking can be colorful, hands-on, and joyful. When you bring the ingredients home from May Asian Market, you’re creating a little moment of summer, no matter the season.
Visit us at 3603 Murdoch Avenue in Parkersburg or visit our online store.
