How to Make Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are not fried.

Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are very different from the crispy, fried egg rolls that many people are used to. These spring rolls are thinner and lighter, as they are made with either traditional rice paper or a very thin spring roll wrapper and filled with a meat and fresh-cut vegetables. While some versions of Vietnamese spring rolls are deep fried in peanut oil, this variety is not, making it a healthy alternative.

Things You'll Need

• Vermicelli noodles
• Spring roll wrappers
• English cucumber
• 1 lb. frozen cooked shrimp
• 1 lb. pork loin, bone-in
• Handful cilantro
• Handful thai basil
• 1 lb. bean sprouts
• Peanut butter
• Hoisin sauce

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2. Take another large pot and place it in the sink. Put a strainer on top of the pot.

3. Place the dry vermicilli noodles in the boiling water and boil for about 3 minutes. Stir every minute.

4. Pour the noodles into the strainer. Reserve the water in the pot under the strainer.

5. Remove the strainer from the pot in the sink. Rinse the vermicelli noodles with cold water to keep them from cooking further.

6. Pour the reserved water back into the original pot you used for boiling the noodles. Return the water to a rapid boil.

7. Add the shrimp to the boiling water. Stir for 1 minute.

8. Strain the shrimp, reserving the water once again.

9. Return the water to the pot on the stove and bring it back to a boil. Place the pork in the boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes or until the center of the pork isn't pink. Thinly slice the pork once it is done.

10. Slice each shrimp in half while waiting for the pork to cook. Wash the cilantro, bean sprouts and basil during this time.

11. Quarter the English cucumber lengthwise. Take a spoon and run it along the seeds to scrape it out. Thinly cut the cucumber into sticks that are about 4 inches long and a 1/2-inch wide.

12. Prepare the peanut sauce by placing 2/3 cup of peanut butter into a small pot over low heat. Add 3 tbsp. of hoisin sauce and 1/2 cup of water. Stir. Peanut sauce should be slightly runny, so keep adding water little by little to thin it out as needed.

13. Organize all the food-stuffs and them bring to the table. When you're ready to eat, take a large bowl and place warm water in it. Take your rice paper wrapper and evenly soak it by rotating the circular paper in the bowl for about 10 seconds. Place the wrapper on a plate and wait a minute for it to soften up. In the meantime, pile on the fillings: a dollop of noodles, then the herbs and cucumber and then the meats. Place the filling about two-thirds of the way below the top of the wrapper.

14. Grasp the bottom quarter of the wrapper and bring it over the filling. Hold it there while you fold the left and right sides toward the center. Roll the entire spring roll up from the bottom to top. Dip in peanut sauce and eat.

Tips & Warnings

• rolling the perfect spring roll takes practice

• you can place pretty much anything in spring rolls. Instead of shrimp and pork, try catfish or soy sauce stir-fried beef

Resources

• Digs Magazine.com: Roll With It -- How to Make Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls