June 19, 2010

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

These fresh spring rolls are full of flavor and delicious as a snack or appetizer. The rice paper are made of tapioca and rice starch and it is softened with warm water and wrapped with fresh herbs, meat and serve with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. You can use other varieties of cooked meat, such as prawn, beef or pork. They can be made several hours in advance, and kept moist. I prefer to set out the ingredients on a platter and have my guests have fun picking up their choice of ingredients and rolling it on individual plates.
Ingredients:
1 pack Vietnamese rice paper (6", small)
4 oz dried vermicelli noodles (cooked, drained and cut into 2-inch lengths)
1 packet bean sprouts, washed and drained
½ lb tri-tip beef, cut thinly
¼ cup korean bulgogi sauce
lettuce, washed and drained
fresh mint leaves
fresh cilantro leaves
Dipping sauce:
2 gloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. sugar, honey, or Agave nectar
juice of 1 lime
2½ Tbsp. fish sauce
4 Tbsp. fried peanuts, chopped finely
¼ cup vinegar
Method:
1. Season meat with bulgogi sauce and set aside. Grill to cook on both sides and cut into 1-inch strips.
2. In a bowl mix the dipping sauce ingredients, season and adjust to your taste. It should be sweet and sour taste.
3. Heat a shallow pan with water and keep it warm. Assemble all the ingredients within reach on the table and fill a wide bowl with warm water.
4. Dip 1 piece of rice paper (with the rough side facing up) into the water for about 30 seconds, turning it around until it softened. Put on the plate and arrange lettuce, bean sprouts, vermicelli, mint and cilantro at the edge of the rice paper. Add a few pieces of beef about 2-inch below the top and roll from the bottom, tucking in the corners into a roll. Serve with dipping sauce. (Click below to watch video)
 
Printable Recipe

2 comments:

Terriea Kwong said...

Melinda, I like this sort of rolls, not as greasy as deep fried. May try it later. Hummmmm, I'm hungry.

Melinda Tai said...

Great, let me know how it goes. It's a bit tricky at first with the rice paper, but you'll get it after a few attempts. Take care