Equipment
Ingredients
Herbed Omelet Wrappers
- 4 eggs, large, room temperature
- 30 ml water
- 5 g cornstarch
- 2 g salt
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 15 ml neutral oil
Filling
- 250 g cooked duck meat, shredded, skin removed or rendered crisp
- 100 g thin rice noodles, dry vermicelli
- 100 g carrot, julienned
- 100 g cucumber, seeded and julienned
- 15 g fresh mint, leaves picked
- 15 g fresh cilantro, leaves picked
Dressing
- 30 ml tamari
- 15 ml rice vinegar
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil
- 5 g granulated sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 386 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 793 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 242 mg
- Potassium
- 411 mg
- Calcium
- 66 mg
- Iron
- 3.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 35 mg
- Phosphorus
- 294 mg
- Zinc
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 341 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.57 mg
- Niacin
- 3.9 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 146 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the dry rice noodles in a heatproof mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over the noodles to submerge them completely. Let them sit for 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process, and drain thoroughly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour half of this dressing over the shredded duck and toss to coat. Toss the remaining dressing with the cooled, drained rice noodles.
In a mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add the eggs and salt, whisking vigorously until completely smooth and no streaks of egg white remain. Stir in the finely chopped chives.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush lightly with neutral oil. Pour about 45ml of the egg mixture into the pan, swirling immediately to coat the bottom in a thin, even layer. Cook undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds, until the top is set and the edges begin to curl away from the pan. Do not brown.
Carefully loosen the edges of the omelet with a heatproof spatula and slide it onto a plate or cutting board. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter to make 8 thin omelets, brushing the pan with oil as needed. Allow the omelets to cool completely before assembling.
Lay a cooled omelet flat on a cutting board. Arrange a small pinch of dressed rice noodles, shredded duck, julienned carrot, cucumber, mint, and cilantro in a horizontal line just below the center of the omelet. Fold the bottom edge tightly over the filling, fold in the sides, and roll tightly into a cylinder.
Using a sharp chef's knife, cut each wrap in half on a slight bias. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a pliable, crepe-like omelet is the addition of a cornstarch slurry. It alters the protein structure of the eggs, preventing them from becoming rubbery and allowing them to bend without breaking.
- If using store-bought roast duck, heat it gently to render out excess fat before shredding. This improves the texture and prevents the wraps from becoming greasy.
- For the cleanest slices, wipe your knife with a damp cloth between each cut. The residual starches from the noodles and egg can cause drag, which tears the delicate wrapper.
- These are fantastic for meal prep if kept unassembled. Store the ingredients in separate containers and construct the wraps just before serving to maintain the textural contrast.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store wraps individually wrapped in parchment or damp paper towels in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
Omelets are tearing during the rolling process.
Cause: Omelets were too thick, overcooked making them rubbery, or the cornstarch settled out of the batter.
Fix: Torn omelets cannot be seamlessly repaired, but you can slice the torn egg crepes into ribbons and serve the entire dish as an unrolled noodle salad.
Prevention: Ensure the pan is warm but not hot, swirl the batter rapidly for a thin layer, and stir the batter before pouring each omelet.
Wraps feel soggy and fall apart quickly.
Cause: Rice noodles were not drained properly, or cucumber released too much water.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled. Eat immediately.
Prevention: Ensure noodles are completely dry before tossing with dressing. Use only the firm outer flesh of the cucumber and discard the watery seed core.
Cultural Context
This dish borrows the architectural concept of Southeast Asian fresh spring rolls and pairs it with the delicate egg crepes often found wrapping elements in traditional Chinese banquets. By substituting standard rice paper with a savory herbed omelet, the wrap gains richness and structure, elevating typical leftover duck or chicken into an elegant centerpiece.
