|
Spring Roll (Goi Cuon)
You’ll need to make a trip
to an Asian market for some of the ingredients, notably the rice paper rounds
and rice vermicelli that are two of the essentials for this recipe. Rice paper
rounds are frequently labeled banh trang, and generally come in a round
plastic container. The rounds are hard, brittle and semi-translucent when you
buy them, and studded with little hash marks all over the surface. (The texture
comes from the bamboo surface against which the rice dough is pressed in order
to form the rounds.) Look for them near the noodle section of the market, along
with the rice vermicelli. You can substitute bean threads/bean vermicelli if you
like. The rice paper rounds are
fairly delicate once they’re soaked and softened for use, so be prepared to
tear a few in the process of wrapping before you really get the hang of it. Once
you’ve figured out exactly how much filling your wrappers can handle, however,
making the rolls is a breeze. The beauty of these spring rolls is that you can you just about any ingredients you like. Substitute the shrimp with fried tofu for a vegetarian version; use snow peas and crisp bean sprouts instead of the carrots and cucumbers. Spring Roll Ingredients: 12 rice paper rounds (banh
trang) Serves: 4 as light main dish, 12 as appetizer How to make Spring Roll 1 Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the unshelled shrimp till pink and opaque, around two to three minutes or so. Fish out the shrimp but keep the water boiling; add the rice noodles and cook for a minute or so. Drain and rinse in cool water. 2 Peel and slice the shrimp in half lengthwise. 3 Peel apart the lettuce leaves and slice into thin strips. Peel and julienne the carrots and cucumber; mince up the herbs and scallions. 4 You’ll need a large bowl or pan, big enough to accommodate the rice paper round. Fill with warm water, and soak one wrapper for around a minute or so, until it’s soft and pliable.
5 Lay the wrapper on a plate or other flat surface. You’ll be placing your ingredients in the bottom half of the wrapper – if this is your first time making spring rolls, it’s a good idea to start with smaller quantities. Begin with a small handful of lettuce in the bottom third of the wrapper, and add an approximately equal amount of rice noodle. Top with a neat row of cucumbers and another neat row of carrots. Lay a row of shrimp close to the middle of the wrapper, pink side down. Sprinkle with some of the herb mixture.
Like any salad, Vietnamese spring rolls need a dressing to bring out the fresh flavors of the ingredients. You can use Hoisin-chili dipping sauce or Nuoc Mam Sauce These spicy-sweet sauces makes the perfect dipping sauces to accompany fresh spring rolls. Hoisin-chili dipping sauce (use this sauce for a vegetarian version) Ingredients 1 shallot or 1-2 cloves
garlic Method Stir-fry the minced garlic
or shallot for a minute or two, until the garlic is softened. Add the hoisin
sauce, rice vinegar and water, and bring to a boil. Add chili paste to taste
(about 2 tsps. generally does it for me). Remove from heat, pour in dipping
bowl(s), and garnish with chopped peanut. Nuoc
Mam Sauce dipping
sauce Ingredients 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic Method Whisk all together and refrigerate until ready to use. It is best made the day ahead. Serve at room temperature. |
|
FOODOFVIETNAM.COM 
