2015 Cooking Club Week 17: Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Refreshingly light and super healthy, "Goi Cuon" are also known as Vietnamese summer rolls, fresh spring rolls, rice paper rolls or salad rolls. Traditionally they're filled with prawns/pork, raw vegetables, herbs and noodles, encased in soft, rice based wrappers. Whatever you call them, a bite of these gems will guarantee to excite your taste buds: crunchy, squidgy, aroma from the herbs, combined with "Nuoc Cham" dip leaving a tingle of freshness and a good punchy zest. The best thing about these rolls is that you can stuff them with anything you want!
They stay fresh for a couple of days, which makes them ideal for a make ahead appetisers, picnic snack or packed lunch. Perfect for summer.
You can easily get a rice paper rolls or "banh trang" in any Asian stores. I got a pack of 30 for €2.65 from Eurasia Fonthill. I've seen them in SuperValu Lucan before too.
Once you get your hands on them, other ingredients are easily available in any supermarket.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls
Makes 6

Ingredients:
6 dried rice paper wrappers ("banh trang")
12 cooked peeled prawns (allow 2 per roll), OR 6 slices smoked salmon/trout, OR any leftover meat of choice
1 cup prepared rice vermicelli noodles
1/4 cucumber, cut in matchsticks
1 small carrot, cut in matchsticks
1 small gem lettuce, leaves separated
a small bunch of chives

Additional (totally optional but will most definitely lift the rolls to nirvana ):
12 basil leaves
12 mint leaves
a handful of fresh coriander
1 cup of red cabbage, shredded (for colour & texture; I just happened to have them)

Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce:
1 lime
2 tbsp sugar (I used light brown sugar)
1/2 cup water
2.5 tbsp fish sauce
1 garlic, minced
1-2 bird's eye chillies


Method:
1. Make the sauce first: combine juice of 1 lime, sugar & water, stir until dissolved. Add fish sauce, garlic & chillies and mix. At this point you can adjust according to taste. It should be sweet, sour, salty with a zing of heat.

2. Prepare the work station: lay out all the meat, veg, herbs and noodles. Pour warm water into a bowl large enough to fit rice paper. Have a cleaned surface/plate in front of you to assemble the roll. Don't forget to whistle while you work!

3. Take a rice paper wrapper and dunk it in the bowl of warm water for about 10 seconds, gently swirl it around and press it down with your fingers if need be, until the paper softens. Now very carefully lift the wrapper and lay it flat on the plate; yes, it's soaking wet for now but almost immediately it'll soak up excess water and remain mmmmmoist.

4. Start piling the filling evenly across at the lower end of the wrapper; prawn, herbs, noodles, veg. Gently roll the wrapper over the filling from the bottom up, tucking it underneath to secure. Fold both sides inward, and continue to roll up as tight as possible. And that's it! One down, five to go.

It does take practice but after your second roll you'll get the hang of it. Serve it as it is or you can cut the rolls in half to see your beautiful delectable artwork. Dip in nuoc cham and chomp! *No manners required. **Double dipping involved.

I doubt you'll have any leftovers, but if you do, place a damp kitchen paper on top and put in an airtight container or simply cover with a cling film. Nuoc cham also keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Enjoy!

*photos in the next post