Fresh Spring Rolls

By tschnet1

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound thin Vietnamese rice vermicelli
• 8 (8 1/2-inch) rice papers
• 8 large lettuce leaves, such as frisee, butter, or red oak
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 8 large shrimp, cooked, peeled, and halved lengthwise
• 24 fresh chives
• Fish Sauce Dip (Nuoc Cham), for serving

Details

Adapted from marthastewart.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Add vermicelli to boiling water and cook just until soft. Immediately transfer vermicelli to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and cover with a damp towel until ready to use.

Fill a clean spray bottle with water and mist the surface of the rice papers to moisten. Cover with a damp towel and set aside.

Place another damp towel on work surface. Lay one rice paper on top of towel. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom third of the rice paper and top with 1/8 of the vermicelli, cilantro, and mint leaves. Roll rice paper away from you, about halfway, pressing down to form a tight cylinder. Fold about 1 1/2 inches from each side over the filling.

Place 2 shrimp halves, cut sides down, over the crease. Top with 3 chives so that about 4 inches of the chives stick out at one end. Continue rolling rice paper away from you to form a cylinder. Seal edges with a little water. Repeat entire process with remaining rice papers and filling.


Cut rolls in half and serve with fish sauce dip.