Vietnamese spring roll recipe

Vietnamese spring rolls are known in Vietnam as gỏi cuốn. The term "spring roll" translates in Vietnam as "salad roll", but many locals prefer to call it a "summer roll". Ingredients include thin slices of boiled or fried pork, shrimp, chicken, beef, fresh herbs, lettuce, and fresh garlic chives, all wrapped in moistened rice paper, served cold with dipping sauce known as nước chấm or hoisin sauce.

They are quite simple to make, there are really only two different preparation methods for this dish, which is to fry it or not. If using the non frying method, moistened rice paper is used to wrap up already cooked ingredients.

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Vietnamese spring roll recipe

The first recipe is for a non fried spring roll, there are more recipes to come but this dish is very adaptable.


Ingredients
50g (2 oz) rice vermecilli or rice noodles
8 spring roll rice wrappers
8 large cooked prawns - peeled, de-veined and cut in half
1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
2 leaves lettuce, chopped
2 dessert spoons fish sauce
50ml (2 fl oz) water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic chilli sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts

Preparation method
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Boil rice vermicelli for 3 to 5 minutes and drain. Rinse thoroughly with cold water so they don't stick.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the centre, place 2 prawn halves, a handful of noodles, basil, mint, coriander and lettuce, leaving about 5cm (2 in) uncovered on each side.
3. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
4. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chilli sauce.
5. In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
6. Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.