Fresh and Easy Tilapia and Pineapple Spring Rolls

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

Despite living on the Gulf of Mexico during my childhood, it took me longer than I like to admit to come around to seafood — especially fish, in its all flaky-silky texture and sea-kissed taste. But of course, it was inescapable, especially because my mother and stepdad loved to fish on the pier in the early mornings. On the weekends, they’d often pull me out of bed to join them.

Ingredients

1 medium lime
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh Thai red chile (optional)
4 ounces thin dried Asian vermicelli noodles
10 ounces tilapia fillets (about 3)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple slices in juice
2 large leaves green or red leaf lettuce
8 (8 to 8 1/2-inch wide) dried spring roll rice paper wrappers

Instructions

Make the dipping sauce:
Squeeze the juice from 1 medium lime until you have 1 tablespoon. Place the lime juice, 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1 minced garlic clove or 1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh Thai red chile if desired.
Make the spring rolls:
Cook 4 ounces thin dried Asian vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain in a colander and run them under cold water until cooled. Drain again. Pat dry with paper towels and fluff with your fingers to separate any dense clumps.
Pat 10 ounces tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Season all over with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the fish and cook until cooked through and browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Drain 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple slices in juice and cut the slices in half. Cut 2 large green or red leaf lettuce leaves lengthwise into 4 pieces each.
Fill a shallow, wide bowl or pie plate with about 1-inch warm water. Lay out 8 rice wrapper wrappers. Divide the fish and noodles into 8 portions each.
Assemble the rolls one at a time on a work surface or large plastic cutting board right before serving: Submerge 1 rice paper wrapper in the warm water for 5 seconds. (Don’t leave them in too long or they will be hard to handle. They’ll soften on the work surface.) Place the rice wrapper on the work surface, making sure it sits flat.
Arrange the following across the wrapper about 2 to 3 inches from the bottom, stacking them on top of each other: Lettuce, 1 portion of the fish (break up the fish as needed) and noodles, and 2 to 3 pineapple pieces. Fold in the left and right sides over the filling. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the filling and continue rolling up very tightly and slowly until you reach the other end of the wrapper.
Place in a single layer on a platter, make sure the spring rolls do not touch or they will stick together. Serve with the dipping sauce. Spring rolls are best eaten fresh.