Spring roll crunchy rice salad

Name: Spring roll crunchy rice salad
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 2-4
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp flavourless oil, such as vegetable oil; 500g cooked rice (even better if this is cooked coconut rice); 300g cocktail spring rolls (or however many you like, see note); 1 continental cucumber, sliced; 1–2 avocados, sliced; ¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise

Katrina Meynink

January 9, 2025

Serve this crunchy salad straight from the tray.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:2-4

This is an emotional support salad. It has everything we need: freshness; crisp, crunch and contrast; a wisp of spice; colour; and a touch of take-out vibes.

For this to reach peak ASMR, assemble it just before you eat. I pull the tray from the oven, plop the salad elements on top and take the tray to the table for everyone to help themselves.

Ingredients

2 tbsp flavourless oil, such as vegetable oil
500g cooked rice (even better if this is cooked coconut rice)
300g cocktail spring rolls (or however many you like, see note)
1 continental cucumber, sliced
1–2 avocados, sliced
¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise

Dressing

3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp very finely diced lemongrass (or 3 tbsp lemongrass paste)

To serve

handful of salted, roasted cashews
a few basil leaves, to serve
2-3 tbsp toasted white and black sesame seeds
pinch of togarashi or chilli flakes (optional)

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200C fan-forced (220C conventional). Grease a rimmed baking tray with the oil.
Step 2
Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Step 3
Add the rice and ¼ of the dressing to a bowl and stir until the rice is coated in the dressing. Scoop onto the tray and press down lightly. Top with the spring rolls. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, using the same bowl, add the cucumber and most of the remaining dressing, reserving a couple of tablespoons. Toss gently and set aside for the flavours to infuse.
Step 5
Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of dressing to the Kewpie mayo in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Step 6
When the rice is crispy and crunchy and tanned in spots, and the spring rolls look golden, remove the tray from the oven. Top with the sliced avocado and then the marinated cucumber. Sprinkle over the cashews and few basil leaves then spoon over the mayo mixture and top with sesame seeds and togarashi, if using, and serve.

Note: Extra spring rolls are always a good idea, but I suggest cooking them on another tray – you need to give everything a little bit of space to breathe and crisp up. Overcrowded sheet pans don’t give you the one-two punch of crisp and crunch.