1/2bunch collard greens, (about 4-5 large leaves- the larger the easier it is to wrap, so try to get big leaves)
1/2apple, julienned or sliced into a thin matchstick
1/2bell pepper, (any color), julienned or sliced into a thin matchstick
1/4kohlrabi, peeled and julienned or sliced into a thin matchstick, (this is harder to find, so omit if you can’t find. Good substitutes would be jicama or daikon. You can also just increase the amount of another vegetable.)
1-2small carrots, peeled and julienned or sliced into a thin matchstick
Blanch the collard greens: Prepare a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove. Once it is at a boil, uncover and add in collard greens. Using tongs or a spoon, push lightly down so the entire leaf is submerged. Let cook for about 45-90 seconds, until the greens are vibrant green. The more you cook, the more tender and softer the leaf. Immediately remove the greens and place in a colander and put under running cold water or in an ice bath until the collard greens are quite cool.
You can also do a quick blanch (about 30 seconds) on the carrots to tenderize them as well. Repeat the same method, just for 30 seconds.
Option: You can toss your vegetables in a few tablespoons of the peanut sauce before your wrap them if you don’t want to deal with a dipping sauce or want a stronger flavor in the wrap.
With a small knife, cut out the thick bottom stem of the collard green. See my video to see how much I cut out- I went a bit into the leaf, but tried to keep the majority of the leaf whole.
Wrapping them: To be honest, watching instead of reading is a much better way to understand this method, so I highly encourage you to watch, but here’s my best way to explain:1. Lay the collard green flat on a cutting board. Add in vegetables in the center- don’t go overboard, or it will be too hard to wrap up- you’ll see within the first try how much is doable. 2. Fold in the bottom edge over the vegetables to cover them about halfway. Then fold in the vertical edges to mostly cover the vegetables. 3. Tuck the vegetables in securely under the bottom edge and then roll the wrap to finish. Keep the edge/end on the bottom side or stick a toothpick through the wrap to keep it closed.