Fresh & crunchy, perfect for a light lunch
Classic Vietnamese dish that has become very popular worldwide over the last decade. Not much cooking involved, just some assembling. Diagram for folding provided in the recipe.
Recipe
Makes: 8 | Time: 30 min to 1h
Ingredients
- 8 rice papers
- 100g rice vermicelli (3.5oz)
- 8 large lettuce leaves
- 16+ mint leaves
- A handful of bean sprouts
- A handful of toasted peanuts, chopped
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1/2 cucumber, julienned
- 20 prawns (cooked and peeled)
- Nuoc Cham to serve (shop-bought or homemade)
Method
Prepare the ingredients
- Gather all your ingredients.
- Soak vermicelli in boiling water to rehydrate. Drain well when ready.
- Rough chop peanuts.
- Julienne cucumbers and carrots.
- Cut 12 prawns in half lengthwise.
- If needed, rinse mint and lettuce.
- Line all the ingredients ready to assemble.
Make the rolls
- Dampen 1 rice paper roll (I run mine under cold tap water).
- Fold the right side of the paper (see diagram and left picture above),
- Layer filling: 1 sheet of lettuce, 2mint leaves, a few carrots and cucumbers, a small handful of vermicelli, 1 uncut prawn, bean sprouts and peanuts (left picture above).
- Start rolling (diagram to the right):
- fold tightly from left to right over the filling,
- add 3 half prawns, cut side facing up,
- fold the top of the rice paper down to cover prawns and filling,
- fold the bottom of the rice paper up to cover prawns and filling,
- continue folding, tightly rolling the roll to the left to close,
- Your first roll is ready!
- Repeat the operation for the other rolls, adjusting filling quantity and tightness to need.
- Enjoy with nuoc cham or peanut dipping sauce!
Substitutions
I highlight here the core that makes the soul of the dish and suggest possible substitutions.
Core: Rice paper filled and rolled.
Substitutions: Play around with the filling. Think about your favourite salad and it most likely can be wrapped in rice paper and dipped in its dressing. You could even make it sweet (e.g. banana and chocolate). Below are some classic savoury suggestions. Any ingredient can also be removed.
| Recipe components | Possible substitutions* |
| Prawns | • Poached or grilled chicken / pork • Tofu • Omelette |
| Mint | • Coriander |
| Nuoc Cham dipping sauce | • Peanut dipping sauce |
Country
Vietnam
Vietnam
The Global Homecook 