Cold Thai Spring Rolls With Vietnamese Dipping Sauce Food

FRESH SPRING ROLLS WITH THAI DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a bowl of cool water, soak a wrapper until limp. Lay wrapper out flat. Place 1/6 of each ingredient down middle of wrapper, starting with lettuce. Fold over each end and tightly roll the wrapper around the contents, as if making a burrito. Moisten at seam; press to close.
• Lay on plate, cover with moist paper towel and refrigerate until ready to serve. Then slice in two and serve with Quick Thai Dipping Sauce, below, or peanut sauce.
• To make the Quick Thai Dipping Sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

GOI CUON (VIETNAMESE COLD SPRING ROLLS)

Steps:

• Have all meats precooked and cold and the rice noodles prepared already (the noodles should be white, long and at room temp).
• Make sure all veggies and herbs are cleaned, dried, and set out before you start.
• Dip a sheet of rice paper wrapper into water very quickly, no longer than a second or two (or they will get too soggy) and lay flat on a work surface.
• On one edge, lay a small handful of noodles, a few strips of meat, some shrimp, some cilantro and mint leaves, a lettuce leaf, some cucumber strips and bean sprouts, all to taste but don't overstuff.
• Carefully start to roll up eggroll style, tucking in the sides, then continue to roll up-but not too tightly or the spring roll will split.
• These rolls will be thicker than the typical Chinese-style fried eggrolls.
• Combine a few spoonfulls of hoisin sauce with some chopped peanuts to use as a dipping sauce (or serve with prepared spicy fish sauce dip called Nuoc Mam, available at Asian markets).
• Serve immediately- these do not keep and will harden up in the fridge, so it is best to make just as many as you plan to serve (store any extra unassembled fillings in fridge and roll later).
• Note: Please be sure to get the correct spring roll rice papers- these are not the same as wonton/eggroll wrappers, which must be cooked.
• Look for edible rice paper wrappers, rice noodle vermicelli, and hoisin sauce in Asian markets.

THAI COLD SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat water in a wok, bring to a boil.
• Add the bean sprouts, cook for a few seconds.
• Remove with a large strainer.
• Put into ice water.
• Allow to drain and set aside.
• Turn wok down to simmer.
• Add shrimp, cook until pink.
• Remove with a slotted spoon into ice water drain and set aside to cool, then slice in to thin pieces. Reserve.
• Grate carrot and transfer to a bowl.
• Add sugar, pepper, vinegar and salt to bowl. Reserve.
• Beat egg yolks.
• Heat vegetable oil in a nonstick fry pan and add egg yolks.
• Cook over heat for about 2 minutes. Yolks should not brown but gel into a thin yellow omelet.
• Slide the cooked yolks onto a cutting board and fold over twice.
• Using a knife thinly julienne the yolks and put aside.
• Place rice papers in a bowl of warm water allow to soak until soft.
• Take a piece of rice paper and place a small of amount of each ingredient into the center of the paper.
• Roll rice paper over the ingredients.
• Place completed rolls in a shallow cooking pan and cover with plastic wrap.
• Place in refrigerator.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Set the dipping sauce aside.
• Fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Add rice vermicelli and soak for 1 hour.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in shrimp and cook until curled and pink, about 1 minute. Remove the shrimp and drain. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Transfer rice vermicelli noodles to the pot of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove and drain in a colander. Immediately rinse the vermicelli with cold water, stirring to separate the noodles.
• To assemble the rolls, dip 1 rice wrapper in a large bowl of room temperature water for a few seconds to soften. Place wrapper on a work surface and top with 4 shrimp halves, 1/4 of the chopped lettuce, 1/2 ounce vermicelli, and 1/4 each of the mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Fold right and left edges of the wrapper over the ends of the filling and roll up the spring roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients. Cut each roll in half and serve with dipping sauce.

THAI DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sugar water and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat. Stir in garlic, fish sauce and chili sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Cool and add lime juice and shredded carrot.

VIETNAMESE SHRIMP ROLLS WITH SWEET CHILI DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the cooked cellophane noodles, veggies, cilantro and peanuts in a bowl and toss with the sesame oil and lime juice. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large shallow bowl, dilute the sugar in 3 cups of hot water and stir.
• One at a time, immerse the rice paper spring roll wrappers in the hot water for 10 seconds and then place them on a damp towel. Keep them covered while you work to prevent them drying out and curling up. (The rice paper is very delicate so don't soak them any longer than 10 seconds.).
• To form the rolls: lay a rice paper wrapper on a flat surface. Take a small amount of the cellophane noodle & veggie mixture and lay it across the bottom third. Use less filling than you think you should; if you overstuff the wrapper it will tear. Carefully fold the bottom of the wrapper up to cover the filling then fold in the left and right sides, then tuck and roll it over once.
• Lay 2 pieces of shrimp on top, then tuck and roll it over again.
• Lay 2 mint leaves on top and then tuck and roll it over to close the whole thing up. The shrimp and mint leaves should show through the transparent rice paper. Arrange the finished rolls on a platter and cover with a damp cloth.
• To prepare sauce: Puree the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, hot water, sugar, lime juice, garlic and sambal oelek in a blender until all combined. Pour into a serving bowl and add the grated carrot and radish mix.
• Serve the shrimp rolls with the sweet chili dipping sauce.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except wraps and oil in a bowl.
• On a damp tea towel, place a wrap, and fill with a couple of tablespoons of the pork mixture in a sausage like shape at one end of the wrap.
• Fold sides in, then begin rolling spring roll at the mixture side.
• Seal roll by moistening edge with water.
• Heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Fry rolls, turning frequently until cooked through and golden, about 5-7 minutes.
• Drain on paper towels, and serve with Spring Roll Sauce (Nuoc Mam).
• Keep warm in heated oven.
• Note: The spring rolls may be made ahead, and frozen, and then fried when thawed.
• Spring rolls may be kept in fridge until ready to fry too, up to a day or two in advance.
• Ground chicken may be substituted for the pork, and chopped shrimp may also be added for a special flavor combination.