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FRESH VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

An appetizer, lunch or dinner.
A recipe and accompaning video to help you prepare this great finger food.



Printed from THEGUTSYGOURMET.NET

INGREDIENTS: Servings:4


Spring Rolls:
Ingredients should be divided to make 8 spring rolls
•  8 dried rice paper or tapioca wrappers (spring roll wrappers)*
•  12 cooked prawns, cut in half lengthwise, (3 halves for each roll)
•  or 1/2 lb. grilled chicken breast, sliced thin, (divided for 8 rolls)
•  or 1/2 lb. grilled pork tenderloin, sliced thin, (divided for 8 rolls)
•  or 1/2 lb. grilled tender beef steak, sliced thin (divided for 8 rolls)

•  2 c. hot water with 1 tsp. fresh ginger juice (divided for 8 rolls)

•  16 fresh basil leaves, coriander leaves or mint (I make some with each) (divided for 8 rolls)

•  1 large carrot, cut into short thin strips or shredded (divided for 8 rolls)
**
     ** I like to pickle my shredded carrots in a jar of left over pickle juice.  Sweet is my preference.
•  6 oz. fresh bean sprouts (divided for 8 rolls)
•  50 g (1  3/4 oz.) mung bean or rice vermicelli-dried noodles* (divided for 8 rolls)
•  16 very thin, 3 inch long slices of red bell pepper (divided for 8 rolls)
•  1/2 cup caramelized thinly sliced yellow onion (divided for 8 rolls)
•  3 Tbl. Hoisin Sauce (divided for 8 rolls)

Cook noodles according to package with ginger juice added to water; let cool. Place all ingredients in an
assembly line to construct spring rolls. Fill a pie plate or large bowl with very warm but not hot water.

**Soak each wrapper just until soft. Place wrapper on work area and fill with lettuce, carrot, bean 
sprouts, bell pepper and a small amount of noodles, about 1/4 way up from the bottom of the wrapper.

Drizzle a little Hoisin sauce over the filling, or spread on bottom end of wrapper before you start filling.

Place 1 to 2 coriander, basil or mint leaves 1/4 of the way down from the top with 3 shrimp halves or
other protein on top of leaves. Fold the sides in and tightly roll up like a burrito.

*These items were bought at an Asian supermarket.

**Secret to a fool-proof way to soften and use "Rice or Tapioca" Spring roll wraps:
In the case with this recipe,  we will have 8 wrappers.  You will then need 9 paper towels,  I like Viva®
towels as they hold up to being wet.  Completely wet one towel and spread it out on a cutting board, 
plastic is best.  Dip one of the wrappers in very warm water and place it on the towel.  Now place
another wet towel on top and proceed until you have all 8 wrappers in a stack.  Wet the 9th towel and
place it on the stack and then turn the whole stack over and begin with the first wrapper you originally
wet.  Carefully separate the wrapper from the paper towel and place on another cutting board.  You can
now begin to fill your spring rolls (SEE VIDEO BELOW).  Lay your finished spring rolls on a cookie sheet which is lined with
the used wet towels.  Be careful they do not touch each other or they will stick together.  When you are
done wrapping,  you can cover your spring rolls with the left over wet towels so they won't dry out
before you serve them.


Dipping Sauce:
•  1/2 c. sugar

•  1/2 c. water

•  1/4 c. white vinegar

•  1 Tbsp. fish sauce*

•  1 small chopped red chili

•  red pepper flakes

•  1 tsp. cornstarch

•  cucumber

•  carrots

•  chopped roasted peanuts or 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

In a small pan, combine sugar, water, vinegar, fish sauce and red chili. I use red pepper flakes. Bring to
boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. (You can also purchase a Thai
peanut dipping sauce from your market,  which is also very good.) As a matter of fact, you can use
almost any Asian dipping sauce,  from sweet and sour to a thick teriyaki.

Below is the URL for a very good video on how to make your basic spring rolls.
WATCH VIDEO
 


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