Vietnamese Spring Rolls

June 11, 2012

Vietnamese spring rolls are the perfect summer food. Light and refreshing, this is a dish to enjoy when it is hot.  Sheets of rice paper are filled with rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles), bean sprouts, crunchy carrots, and succulent shrimp.  For a vegetarian version of spring rolls, substitute the shrimp for tofu.  Serve these spring rolls alongside chicken skewers with plenty of dipping sauce.

Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

4 rice wrappers
12 tiger prawns (peeled, deveined)
some Thai basil
some bean sprouts
carrots (finely julienned)
 
Dipping sauce:
2 clove of garlic, crushed
2 red birdeye chillies, sliced
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
some chopped coriander (optional)
 
Directions:
 
Soak the rice vermicelli in warm water until they turn soft, then drain them.
 
Fill a bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper at a time into the water for about 1-2 second to soften.
 
Lay the wrapper on a dry chopping board or dinner plate. The rice paper should become pliable within seconds.
 
In a row across the center, put 3 prawns, some vermicelli, carrots, bean sprouts, and a few leaves of basil. Leaving about 4-5 cm on each side.
 
Fold the sides inward, then start to roll tightly and firmly from the end that is near to you into a cylinder, enclosing the filling completely.
 
Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
 
For the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients and stir well until the sugar dissolves. Then, put in chopped coriander.
 
Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce.

Image Sources:

.