Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Have you ever been to Vietnam? If you have, you’ve probably tried these spring rolls and have fallen in love. If you haven’t: you will fall in love. Also, Vietnam is great and you should try to visit sometime. For realsies.
Fresh Vietnamese Spring rolls
Serves 4
adapted from DesignSponge
Ingredients for the spring rolls:
Rice paper (make sure they are suited for fresh spring rolls, there are lots of different kinds!)
500 grams of shrimps
1 cucumber, cut into thin strips
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
4 carrots, cut into thin strips
1 crop of green lettuce, cut into thin strips
1 bunch of cilantro (we love cilantro, so we usually end up with 3 bunches)
1 bunch of mint
Rice vermicelli noodles
For the Peanut Sauce:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tea-spoon of olive oil (or sesame oil if you’ve got it.)
10 table spoons of peanut butter
3 teaspoons of hoisin sauce
4 table spoons of water (we usually end up adding more, as this sauce thickens quickly)
Extra:
Sweet and sour sauce
Start by cutting all the vegetables in thin strips. When you’re done, put them aside and start setting the table.
Cook the noodles as per instructions on the package. Allow to dry at room temperature.
Time to make the peanut sauce. This sauce is meant as a dipping sauce but I put it inside of my spring rolls. I like it better that way.
Put the olive oil (or optionally sesame oil) in a small saucepan and set it on medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 20 seconds. Do not let the garlic burn. Add peanut butter and hoisin sauce and continue to stir. When the sauce begins thickening, add water. Adjust to taste and continue to add water if it becomes too thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
You can now put everything on the table. Do not forget a flat bowl or pan filled with hot water. You need this to soften the rice paper.
To assemble rolls, dip single sheets of rice paper into hot water for a few seconds. Allow excess water to drain and quickly place on a plate. Add a layer of peanut sauce, some sweet and sour sauce and stack on the shrimps, softened noodles, lettuce, cucumbers, red peppers, carrot, cilantro and mint. Carefully roll closed and slice in half. SUPER YUMMY.
If you’re like me and love cilantro, buy some more cilantro and pile up!
14 Comments
Rika | Cubicle Throwdown // // //
Holy! Gorgeous photos! I pinned this, definitely going to try it!
Angela // // //
Let me know how much you loved them!
claire // // //
These look yuuuuuum! I used to make these all the time and had kind of forgotten about them! Thanks for reminding me 🙂
Angela // // //
Hahah yeah that happens a lot. Since we got back I started printing out all the recipes I use to cook. I’m going to make my own cookbook so I’ll never forget a recipe again!
Steph (@ 20 Years Hence) // // //
Oh god. I miss the food in Vietnam SO MUCH. I mean, we have had some delicious meals here in Indonesia, but Vietnam has by far been my favorite food country on the trip thus far. So much so that during a particularly hungry day last week, we started researching flights back to HCMC so we could spend a few weeks there eating ourselves silly before Nepal. This post has not helped that craving one bit!
Angela // // //
I know! We also made Pho to go with the spring rolls. SO good, but not as good as in Vietnam. I really really want some Vietnamese coffee. Even thinking about it makes me drool.
After Nepal you’re going to India right? I think that’s going to be food heaven.
Cassie // // //
Great photos, this looks delicious! I make a Vietnamese noodle salad quite often, same ingredients (fried tofu swapped out for shrimp, as I’m vegetarian), and I just don’t roll it in rice paper. I should stop being lazy and try this sometime!
And I’ve never been to Vietnam but the main reaons I want to go is the food!
Angela // // //
My Vietnamese friend likes to add strips of omelet and crushed peanuts to the spring rolls. Good tip for vegetarians 🙂
And yes, stop being lazy! Make the spring rolls!
Andrew Nguyen // // //
If your Vietnamese friend adds strips of omelet and crushed peanuts to the roll that means she makes “bo bia”.
http://www.hungryhuy.com/cach-lam-bo-bia-recipe-vietnamese-spring-rolls-with-chinese-sausage-jicama-carrot-egg/
Sarah // // //
Looks like something I need to try! There are no Vietnamese restaurants where I live and around, so thanks for sharing the recipe, I’ll try to make them. Thinking about going to Vietnam just to discover the food!
Angela // // //
It is completely worth it. Vietnam was one of the countries where I enjoyed the food the most.
Let me know when you’ve tried the recipe, curious to hear how much you love it!
Sophie // // //
These look delicious. I can’t wait to give them a try. Images a beautiful too. Can’t wait to hear more from you!
Angela // // //
Thanks Sophie! There are more recipes coming up 🙂
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