| This Goi Cuon recipe or Traditional Vietnamese Spring | | | | 3. Cook the shrimp: fill a small pot with about 2 inches |
| Roll recipe took a lot longer than I expected, but I | | | | of water (just enough to cover the shrimp). Add 1/2 |
| learned a lot during making the rolls. These healthy rolls | | | | teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp. Boil |
| are full of fresh vegetables and lean meat, so eat up! | | | | for about 1.5-2.5 minutes on 70% heat until the shrimp |
| Made from just rice and water, the neutral banh trang | | | | is no longer translucent in the middle. It will be quick so |
| (rice paper) could be easily used in a variety of ways. | | | | don't go anywhere! |
| At one Vietnamese market, I found no less than five | | | | 4. Remove the shells and tails and clean off any |
| brands of banh trang (rice paper) with multi-lingual | | | | remaining shrimp intestine. Split the shrimp in half along |
| packaging: | | | | the body. Try to picture how you want to layer the |
| Vietnamese, Chinese, English, and French. | | | | pork inside the roll so you know how to cut it. Slice as |
| Banh trang gets around. Cambodians have a similar roll | | | | thinly as porkly possible so rolling will be easier. |
| also using the same rice paper called nime | | | | Tortuna brand bun (rice vermicelli), and Flying Horse |
| chow--made without meat and dipped in a vinegar | | | | brand banh trang (Spring Roll wrapper, rice paper). |
| based sauce instead of hoisin. The Chinese have a | | | | 5. Get 1 gallon of water boiling. Add 1/3 of the rice |
| version with duck and cucumber with a hoisin based | | | | vermicelli package and boil for 8 minutes (following the |
| dipping sauce. Japanese restaurants are also | | | | instructions on the packet). |
| commonly using regular and dyed versions of rice | | | | 6. Drain and cool the noodles under cold running water |
| paper for rolls too. | | | | to stop it from cooking. |
| For the meat you can really use any cut of pork you | | | | 7. Wash and dry your veggies! |
| wish, but leaner works better. The shrimp can also be | | | | 8. Add some warm water to a plate to dip the banh |
| any size but a medium one helps make rolling easier. | | | | trang (rice paper). |
| At the bottom of this post you'll find a Vietnamese | | | | 9. Dip only before making each roll. It took me about |
| Nuoc Cham / Spring Roll Sauce recipe too. | | | | 5-10 seconds of soak. Make sure to remove it before |
| This recipe makes about 10 Spring Rolls. | | | | it gets to the desired softness so it's easier to handle. |
| What you need: | | | | 10. Rolling technique is entirely up to you. Do whatever |
| -1/2 lb. shrimp (36/40 size) (453g) | | | | looks good or makes you happy. Put less than what |
| -1/2 lb. pork leg (453g) | | | | you think you need so the rolls aren't exploding. |
| -1 head red or green leaf lettuce | | | | Generally it will look better to show lettuce instead of |
| -a few sprigs of mint | | | | noodles on the bottom. A tighter roll will look nicer and |
| -chives | | | | showcasing the meat on top makes it more appealing. |
| -banh trang (rice paper / Spring Roll wrapper) | | | | Here's what I did: |
| -bun (rice vermicelli, the starchless variety) | | | | 10a. Add some lettuce near the bottom and leave |
| -1 1/2 teaspoon salt | | | | about 1" to 1.5" space on the sides. Layer with some |
| -1 teaspoon sugar | | | | mint and some chives. |
| Nuoc cham recipe (Vietnamese dipping sauce recipe, | | | | 10b. Add shrimp near the middle, color side down. |
| Spring Roll sauce) | | | | 10c. Add pork on top of the shrimp and some bun (rice |
| -1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce | | | | noodle) on top of the vegetables. Make sure the rice |
| -2 tablespoons water | | | | noodle is spread evenly across. |
| Prep time: 25-40 minutes | | | | 10d. Fold the sides in so its snug and add some more |
| Cook time: 50 minutes | | | | chives. Then fold the bottom up to cover the rice |
| Assembly time: 10-20 minutes | | | | noodles. You want to keep the roll tight, so lightly |
| If your shrimp is frozen, thaw it in a bowl of water until | | | | squeeze it together as you roll. Once you reach the |
| it is defrosted so you can cut into them. | | | | meat, ease up on the tightness so it doesn't tear. |
| 1. Split and devein the shrimp. It helps to have a sharp | | | | 11. Nuoc cham recipe (Vietnamese dipping sauce |
| knife and a steady hand. I had to pull up a chair to get | | | | recipe): |
| the hang of this. I also found it helpful to have a bowl | | | | Add 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and 2 tablespoons |
| of water to dip the nasties into. | | | | water to a small pan and bring to a boil. Pour into a |
| 2. Cook the pork: fill a small pot with water about 1.5 | | | | bowl and cool. Add chopped nuts and some hot |
| inches above the pork, add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 | | | | sauce. I used Koon Chun hoisin sauce, and Sambal |
| teaspoon sugar. Bring to a boil on high heat then lower | | | | Oelek chili paste (the one without garlic!). |
| to 60% for about 30 minutes. It is done when it floats | | | | Serve! |
| or when it is no longer pink in the middle. | | | | |