SANDRA’S VIBRANTLY FRESH VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

These light spring rolls have a gentle

crunch thanks to the addition of green leaf lettuce,

Alaska grown mung bean sprouts, and carrots...

Yields: 8 rolls, or 16 halves

--(A serving is 2 rolls, or 4 halves)

Prep: 30 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Dipping Sauce:

3 tablespoons prepared hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons water

--(more of less to reach desired consistency)

2 teaspoons Asian red chili paste

2 tablespoons minced roasted peanuts

Spring Rolls:

2 ozs. bean thread (vermicelli) noodles

2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar

8 (8.5” round) rice paper spring roll wrappers

12 cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, cut in half lengthwise

4 large green leaf lettuce leaves, cut into ½” strips (remove tough stems)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup julienned carrots

2 fully cooked, boneless, smoked pork chops, julienned

1 cup Alaska Grown mung bean sprouts (Purchased at Fred Meyer)

METHOD:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, prepare the dipping sauce by whisking hoisin sauce, shallots, rice vinegar, and water; heat and stir just until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat, and whisk in chili paste. Let sauce cool for 30 minutes; whisking occasionally, while preparing spring rolls. Just before serving, stir minced peanuts into dipping sauce.

Meanwhile, cover bean thread noodles with boiling water in a glass bowl and let soak 15 minutes; drain using a sieve. Return noodles to dry bowl, and toss with seasoned rice vinegar. Cover with a damp paper towels, and set aside.

Fill a pie plate with warm water. Immerse rice paper in warm water for 10 seconds, just until slightly soft.

Very easy to assemble spring rolls
when you prepare the work area beforehand

Work with one rice paper at a time, being gentle as they break easily when brittle. Remove from water and place rice paper on a clean, damp kitchen cloth. Arrange three pieces of shrimp halves (cut side up) across the center of rice paper (this is so it properly shows through from the outside when wrapped). Spread a light layer of lettuce over shrimp to outer border of rice paper, but retain 1” clear space around outer edge. Add a light layer of bean thread noodles, and sprinkle with small pinches of mint and cilantro. Add a light layer of pork, carrots, and mung bean sprouts, while ensuring you don't overfill. Also, be sure the ingredients on top of shrimp are evenly distributed before rolling.

Gently press down on filling with fingers to tighten the roll while folding the bottom end of the sheet nearest you over the top of the filling and roll into a cylindrical shape half of the way.

Fold the left and right sides of rice paper up and inward.

Complete rolling up the spring roll.

Transfer spring roll to a plate, seam-side down, and cover each of them with a damp paper towel to ensure the spring rolls do not touch each other

(or they will stick together). Repeat until all spring rolls are formed.

[Note: A this point, if you choose to make these spring rolls ahead of time,

you can store them as such in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap

for several hours prior to serving.]

Add the minced peanuts to the cooled dipping sauce; whisk to combine.

To serve, cut spring rolls diagonally in half, and place small individual serving bowls of dipping sauce alongside. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: I usually end up making leftover ingredients, just so I can add all of them together to form a salad; I drizzle the salad with a bit of dipping sauce when ready to serve.