Vietnamese Spring Rolls


If you’re looking for a recipe that doesn’t take much effort but is guaranteed to impress then you’re in the right place.

Vietnamese spring rolls are always a must order in Vietnamese restaurants. Its fresh, colourful and a perfect substitute for a salad. Combine this with the spicy, tangy dipping sauce and you’ve got a starter that will leave everyone wanting more!

Putting together the spring rolls doesn’t take a lot of effort. Plus it is extremely versatile; rice paper, lettuce, carrots, prawns, shredded meat, cucumber, peanuts, vermicelli, basil, coriander, and mint. The possibilities are endless.
In this instance, I used vermicelli, sliced mangoes, carrots and crushed peanuts for my filling. The mango kept the spring rolls fresh and paired well with the dipping sauce. If you prefer using prawns, boiled until it turns pink and let cool before using.


One thing to keep in mind is that rice paper is very delicate and requires wet fingers to prevent tearing.



Vietnamese Spring Rolls  

Filling
Rice paper
Lettuce
Carrots, finely sliced
Vermicelli
Fresh herbs; basil, mint, coriander
Mango, sliced

Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce * Use light soy sauce if you prefer to keep it vegetarian friendly.
1¼ tbsp sugar
3 tbsp warm water
2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced

Method
  1. Soak vermicelli in a bowl of hot water until it becomes tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. Soak rice paper in a bowl until it becomes soft. Remove and place on a flat surface. Start by placing a lettuce leaf as the base, which will also prevent the rice paper from tearing easily.
  3. Continue filling with your desired ingredient. I placed the carrots and mangoes on top of the lettuce leaf followed by the vermicelli, herbs and crushed peanuts.
  4. To fold, start from the bottom folding upwards, press down the sides to create a fold. Next fold the sides, until you have an envelope shape. Tightly roll the spring rolls away from you.
  5. For dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients and place in a small bowl.
  6. Slice the spring rolls and serve with dipping sauce.