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Vietnamese: Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

Source of Recipe

From "Scratch" by Maria Rodale


Recipe Introduction

"Whoever said we have nothing to fear but fear itself could have been talking about rice paper rolls. I've wanted to make them for years, but dreaded the complexity, feared the differentness, and practically hyperventilated over finding the right moment to tackle the job. When I finally made them, I had to laugh at myself at how ridiculously easy it was. They're the perfect summer meal because they require almost no cooking, plus they're fresh and delicious."

List of Ingredients

Dipping Sauce:
â—¦ ¼ cup fresh lime juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fish sauce
â—¦ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sesame oil
â—¦ 1 teaspoon chili oil, or freshly sliced chilis (optional)
â—¦ 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Rolls:
â—¦ 8 round rice paper wrappers (8-inch diameter)
â—¦ 16 fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil
â—¦ 16 fresh mint leaves
â—¦ 8 large wild-caught shrimp, cooked, peeled, and halved horizontally
â—¦ 1 large carrot, shredded
â—¦ 1 ½ cups finely shredded cabbage
â—¦ 2 ounces vermicelli rice noodles, soaked according to package directions


Recipe

To make the dipping sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil (if using), garlic, and cilantro.
Set aside.

To make the rolls:
Fill a wide shallow bowl with cold water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water for 10 to 20 seconds, to soften slightly. Place on a clean surface and lightly pat dry. On the bottom half of the rice paper, layer two basil leaves, two mint leaves, two shrimp halves, and some carrot, cabbage, and noodles (don't overfill!).

Fold the bottom and side edges over the filling, and roll to form a cigar shape. Careful not to pull too tightly, as it can rip the paper. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and ingredients. Serve the rolls with the dipping sauce.

Serves 4



• You can fill rice paper rolls with almost anything.
Try shredded pork or chicken.