A Summer's Ramble and Fresh Spring Rolls

It's the beginning of July and I can feel the humid and hot air that I really dread.. As I may have written before how I hate summer in Japan some time ago, this time is no difference. More ramble and perhaps the same things. So forgive me for writing almost the same thing. Need to let go of this summer's heat.

Many Japanese I've met often ask "How do you manage to hold up in winter?", "Are you okay with winter?" and never ask "How do you survive summer?" for example. They seem to think that since I come from Indonesia, summer shouldn't be a problem to me.

Well, first of all the idea that all areas in Indonesia is hot is not true. Depending on the region. I come from Bandung, a city located over 700 meters above sea level. It's not too hot and not too cold. The average temperature is 23.6 °C (according to Wikipedia, which I think is quite accurate except for the fact that Bandung is not as cool as it was 25 years ago when my family moved there from a six-year nomadic life in Borneo). Dry season in Bandung is, as far as I can remember, cold and dry. The sun is very strong though it feels so nice when you're under a tree.

While summer in Japan is completely different from dry season in Bandung. It's hot (even during cloudy day) and humid. Even the wind is hot. I'm drenched in sweat day and night, night and day. Taking a shower 2 or 3 times a day helps a little. I often lose appetite and suffer what it's called natsubate or summer fatigue. It's the thing where I feel drowsy but can't sleep because of the heat. I feel hungry but all I want is just drinking.  I feel sluggish and heavy. So to survive this dreadful season, I choose very refreshing food that does not require a long cooking process (standing near the stove in summer is certainly a bad idea). I tried an Italian dish before. Tried it once but never did it again. I guess it's not so addictive as fresh spring rolls.

My husband and I really like fresh spring rolls. We love them! It's not difficult to make and basically just veggies. We always have the ones with shrimp when we eat at a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant, but making them by myself, I don't feel it's necessary to make exactly like them. So I just throw in some rice noodles (boiled), some carrots (julienned) and some coriander leaves. And voilà!

I love coriander leaves! The smell is just amazing! No need meat or shrimp. These three should be enough. And for the dipping sauce, (being lazy that I am when it comes to cooking especially in the summer) I just got ready-to-eat sauce in a bottle that I can buy at the nearest supermarket.

We never get tired of fresh spring rolls!