Vietnamese Spring Roll
Vietnamese spring rolls are traditionally served either fresh or fried. This fresh version preserves the crispness of the vegetables and is paired perfectly with a fish dipping sauce that acts as a seasoning.
Makes
Serving size
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR DIPPING SAUCE:
1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce (Nam Plah)
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, sliced
1 chili pepper, minced
1 large lime, juiced
1 teaspoon sugar or more to balance the taste
INGREDIENTS FOR SPRING ROLLS:
12 medium shrimp, peeled
12 medium (90 grams) Boston (Bibb) lettuce leaves
2 cups rice noodles, cooked
1 large (90 grams) carrot, grated
1 large (158 grams) cucumber, cut into 2 ½ inch “matchsticks”
24 medium mint leaves, fresh, leaves removed from stems
12 medium Asian or regular basil, fresh, leaves removed from stems
¼ cup cilantro leaves, fresh, leaves removed from stems
1 ½ cups mung bean sprouts
1, 4-inch piece (15 grams) ginger, grated
½ (168 grams) mango, slice into matchsticks
¼ cup white vinegar
12, 8-inch rice paper wrappers (Banh Uot)
Special Equipment
Cooking steamer
Instructions
DIRECTIONS FOR DIPPING SAUCE:
- Combine the fish sauce, water, garlic, lemongrass and chili pepper in a small bowl.
- Mix well.
- Squeeze the lime into the bowl.
- Add sugar and more water to taste if the flavor is too strong.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
DIRECTIONS:
- Prepare a steamer and insert shrimp. Steam for 5 minutes.
- Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise.
- Arrange a platter with the 12 lettuce leaves, placing the edges of the leaves toward the outside of the platter.
- Place one or two of each ingredient in a neat pile on top of each leaf. Start with the rice noodles and continue with the carrots, cucumbers, herbs, sprouts, ginger, mango and two halves of shrimp on top.
- Fill a large mixing bowl with ½ gallon of warm water and vinegar.
- Soak a spring roll wrapper in the water for 45 seconds.
- Lay the reconstituted rice wrapper flat on a work surface or a large plate.
- Carefully transfer each lettuce leaf with a filling on top of the wrapper.
- Fold up the bottom of the wrapper over the filling ingredients and secure them firmly.
- Fold the right, followed by the left sides of the wrapper. Roll forward from bottom to top.
- Slice each roll in half and lay attractively on a platter. Serve with the sauce for dipping.
Cooking Tip
Keep a towel on hand to dry your workspace as you create the rolls. Remember not to overfill the spring rolls to prevent the rice wrapper from ripping.
You can make the rolls and present them on a platter or have each diner roll their own
Recipe Contributed by FamilyCook Productions
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