A Framework for a Healthy and Delicious Southeast Asian Wrap Party
Fill, roll, dip, and eat. It’s as simple as that.
Whether its a wrap, a roll, or a cup, lettuce and rice paper offer the perfect flexible structure to accommodate a variety of delicious flavors and textures. It is no wonder that every country in Southeast Asia (and beyond) has at least a few dishes involving lettuce, rice paper, and even herbs as wrappers. These meals center around a protein (or two) along with a variety of fillings and dipping sauces, often with lots of herbs and leafy greens. Each diner rolls their own, with a meal consisting of 3 - 6 wraps depending on size. This creates an interactive and customizable experience for everyone, offering a fun alternative to traditionally plated meals. This type of meal involves a fair amount of prep work, but everything can be made ahead of time to make for a low stress meal service. If you don’t enjoy juggling hot pans to make sure everything is finished at same moment, then this is the meal for you!
This meal seamlessly incorporates a large portion of greens, herbs, and pickled vegetables, each offering unique health benefits that can enhance overall well-being. Lettuce is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, supporting eye health, immune function, and blood clotting [3]. It also provides dietary fiber, aiding digestion and promoting a healthy gut. Herbs such as mint and cilantro bring additional advantages: mint is known for its ability to soothe digestive issues and reduce inflammation [2], while cilantro is packed with antioxidants, may help detoxify heavy metals from the body, and supports heart health with its potassium and magnesium content [5]. Pickled daikon and carrots are a nutritious duo. Daikon offers vitamin C and fiber for improved immune response and digestion [4], while carrots provide beta-carotene for eye health and antioxidants to fight inflammation [1]. Together, these foods contribute to a nutrient-dense, flavorful diet that supports overall well-being.
The sheer variety of proteins, fillings, and wrappers can make seemingly infinite potential combinations. Because of all of the variation, here I present to you a framework to customize a delicious meal to your specific health, dietary, and flavor restraints. You’ll notice that only certain items have recipes. This is by design. This is a customizable experience. Feel free to get creative and add or subtract items that you enjoy!
The Wrapper:
The wrapper ideally needs to be large and flexible enough to snugly accommodate enough filling and survive a plunge into the dipping sauce.
Rice Paper
Comes in circular or square dried sheets. A quick dip in warm water rehydrates the paper and readies it for a roll. This is the ideal outer wrapper, but is less nutritious than the other options.
Lettuce
Varieties with thinner cores are ideal. I like oak leaf lettuce or butter lettuce.
Cabbage
Look for a head with thin and flexible leaves - often less mature specimens. Napa cabbage works well. This can be used fresh or can be steamed or boiled gently to increase flexibility.
Herbs
Large leafed herbs such as shiso and betel leaf can be used as a wrapper to intensify the flavor of the wrap.
The Protein:
Shrimp
Any shrimp will work well. Boil in lightly salted water for 1 - 3 minutes depending on size. Remove to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Chicken
Simple poached or roasted chicken work well as a filling. Follow your favorite method or grab a rotisserie chicken from the store.
Tofu
Slice firm tofu into 1-inch thick slices, pat dry with paper towels, brush with oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake on sheet pan or wire rack in a 450° oven on the convection setting for about 30 minutes until slightly crispy (an air fryer would work as well). Baked tofu from the store works well as an alternative.
More options
There are too many to list. Find an enticing SE asian recipe for pork, beef, or any of the above protein and customize it how you like!
Accoutrement (Additional Items):
Rice Noodles
These make for a tender texture contrast to the crunchy vegetables, greens, and herbs. The best rice noodles are made fresh and can be found at large asian markets. Dried vermicelli noodles (also called rice sticks) work as well. Thin round shapes work best compared to flat ones. Zero calorie rice noodle substitutes are readily available in most stores. These yam or arrowroot based noodles offer less desirability texture-wise but work well for a healthier alternative.
Lettuce and Cabbage
See above. If using rice paper as a wrapper, lettuce and cabbage offer a nice crunch for the interior of the roll.
Herbs
Choose two or so of: cilantro, mint, culantro (razorleaf coriander), chives, or shiso leaf to add a burst of freshness to the roll.
Other vegetables
Steamed or boiled mushrooms and green beans make for a fun addition, but don’t hold back on what you have available to you. The farmers market is a great place to find interesting vegetables to add to the platter. Nearly anything works, but watermelon radish and young kohlrabi have particularly fun textures that fit well with this meal.
Đồ Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon)
Slice veggies into batons or rounds and cover with the brine. Cucumbers work well as an addition or substitute for the carrot or daikon.
For the brine (to cover 1 lb of vegetables):
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
Juice of 1 lime
Instructions:
Thinly slice or julienne carrots and daikons (~1/8 in thickness). Pour the brine over the vegetables. If making the same day, use boiling water; use warm water if making ahead and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Dipping Sauces:
While I enjoy making my own dipping sauces, this is a good opportunity for a short cut. Many pre-made asian dipping sauces would work with these ingredients.
Nam Jim Jeaw
A spicy, sour, funky, and savory sauce packed with flavor. It’s traditionally served with grilled meats in Thailand, but I like it as a dipping sauce for just about anything.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup vietnamese fish sauce (substitute Bragg’s Aminos or coconut aminos for a vegan version)
2 TBSP sugar (palm sugar is traditional, but white sugar is fine here)
2 thai chiles finely chopped (substitute serrano or other green chiles to your heat tolerance)
1/4 cup cilantro stems and leaves
3 TBSP toasted rice powder (thai sticky rice a.k.a sweet rice is ideal, but any thin white rice will do)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 - 1/2 cup water (to adjust thickness and flavor intensity to taste)
Juice of two limes (~3/16 cup)
1 TBSP tamarind paste or equivalent (optional, but adds a delightful fruity note)
Instructions:
Toast the Rice:
Toast rice in a dry pan over medium low heat. Stir frequently until golden brown (about 5 min).
Let it cool, then grind it into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or blender. Set aside.
Mix the Base:
In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, cilantro, sugar, 2 TBSP of the rice powder, and tamarind if using.
Adjust Consistency:
Stir in 1/4 cup of water. If the sauce feels is too intense or thick, add a little bit at a time to balance it out. Add more chile, lime, or fish sauce if the sauce is missing heat, tang, or savoriness/salt. If it is too thin or not toasty enough, add the remaining rice powder.
Peanut sauce (tương đậu phộng)
Here is my variation on a Vietnamese peanut sauce classicly paired with rice paper rolls. Store bought satay sauce serves as a convenient alternative.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup vietnamese fish sauce (substitute Bragg’s Aminos or coconut aminos for a vegan version)
1/8 cup vinegar
1/4 - 1/2 cup water (to adjust thickness and flavor intensity to taste)
1/4 cup peanut butter. Fresh ground is best for flavor and texture, but any smooth or chunky peanut butter will work.
1 red thai chile finely chopped (substitute fresno, red jalapeño, or other red chiles to your heat tolerance. Sambal also works as a substitute.)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Juice of two limes (~3/16 cup)
Instructions:
Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until incorporated. Adjust thickness and intensity with water to your tastes.
Nuoc Cham
A delicate fish sauce based sauce commonly served with Vietnamese bun (vermicelli) bowls
Nam Pla Prik
An intense combination of Thai chiles and fish sauce - a backbone of Thai cuisine. Not for the faint of heart.
Hoisin
A sweet Chinese sauce that balances well with bright and intense SE Asian flavors.
Sambal
A chunky and spicy Indonesian chile sauce good for spice lovers
Now Eat!
I recommend putting all of the fillings in a platter or two in the center of the table. Ideally each diner has two plates, one to rehydrate the rice paper and one on which to assemble and roll their wrap. If space is limited, a central water vessel (and/or wrap rolling station) will preserve room. Rice paper wraps will harden in an unpleasant way unless wrapped in plastic wrap within about 15 minutes of assembly. If making ahead or saving for later, be sure to be prepared to package the wraps as soon as they are made.
Reminder:
YOU are the final arbiter of your tasting experience. If you don’t like something, take note and adjust what you dislike or remove it from future applications. don’t be bound to tradition. take recipes with a grain of salt and make them yours!
SOURCES:
da Silva Dias, João Carlos. "Nutritional and health benefits of carrots and their seed extracts." Food and Nutrition Sciences 5.22 (2014): 2147.
Hussain, Shabbir, et al. "Phytochemical composition of mint (Mentha), its nutritional and pharmacological potential." Lahore Garrison University Journal of Life Sciences 5.04 (2021): 241-258.
Kim, Moo Jung, et al. "Nutritional value, bioactive compounds and health benefits of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)." Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 49 (2016): 19-34.
Ong, Yin Jie. Comparison of nutritional composition, anti [1] inflammatory and antioxidative activities between the raw and boiled raphanus sativus subsp. longipinnatus roots. Diss. UTAR, 2022.
Winarti, S. ., Sanjaya, Y. A. ., & Pertiwi, C. N. . (2024). Chemical Characteristics, Antioxidant Activities, and Lead (Pb)-Chelating Ability of Powdered Drinks made from Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Leaves Extract. International Journal of Eco-Innovation in Science and Engineering (IJEISE), 3(2). https://doi.org/10.33005/ijeise.v3i02.67