Fresh Shrimp spring rolls (Vietnamese traditional)
These fresh shrimp spring rolls are made with shrimp, vegetables, herbs and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper. Feel free to add or replace ingredients based on your preferences and what’s available to you.
Ingredients:
- Shrimp (medium-sized)
- Rice paper sheets (22cm, about 8.5 inches) large circular
- Thin rice noodles
- Basil leaves
- Cilantro
- Bell pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
- Mint leaves
- Carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- Persian cucumber, cut into round thin
- Butter Lettuce leaves or red leaf or green leaf lettuce (The lettuce offers a nice color contrast to the shrimp)
- Warm water for rolling spring rolls
- Use whatever you prefer…
Prepare ;
- Boil shrimp for two minutes then remove the shrimp from the boiling water and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before peeling off the shells.
- Boil noodles until the noodle have softened, drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Cut the noodles with kitchen scissors several times to make them shorter and easier to grab.
- Slice the vegetables thinly so that they are easier to wrap and chew.
How to make shrimp spring rolls ;
- Roll spring rolls on top of a chopping board or towel
- Dip the rice paper in lukewarm water to soften dry rice paper for a few seconds
- Add the filling by laying a piece of butter lettuce over the lower edge of the rice paper. Then, top the lettuce with noodles, vegetables, and mint.
- Next, line the shrimp below the top edge of the rice paper. By leaving a gap between the shrimp and vegetables, the shrimp will look more vibrant in the final roll because they will be covered by only one layer of rice paper.
- Roll the spring roll
When you are ready to roll the spring roll, grab the lower edge of the rice paper with your thumbs and pointer fingers, lift, and roll up the spring roll. User your other fingers to hold the filling together. Continue rolling the spring roll until you reach the shrimp.
Then, fold the left and right sides of the spring roll toward the center. Finally, roll the spring roll all the way to the end.
**We highly recommend eating the spring rolls the same day you make them because if you refrigerate spring rolls overnight, the rice paper hardens, making them difficult to chew and the texture won’t be the same as freshly made rolls.
Spring rolls dip sauce;
- 1 Thai chili (sliced) adjust to tolerance of heat
- A clove of garlic (minced)
- ½ cup filtered water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ cup ground peanut
- 1 ½ to tablespoons maple syrup (can sub with brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (can add more to taste)
- 1 tablespoons lime juice
