Of all of the interesting foods I have enjoyed while traveling around the world, the cuisine of Vietnam would have to be some of my favorite. Vietnamese recipes utilize a diverse range of herbs, including lemongrass, mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves. Fish sauce, soy paste, rice, fruits, and vegetables are used with combinations of these herbs to create interesting and complex flavors. Traditional Vietnamese cooking is commonly ranked as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world being admired for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, and heavy reliance on herbs and vegetables.

The spring roll or Gỏi cuốn is a rice paper rolls that often includes shrimp, herbs, pork, and rice vermicelli wrapped up and served with sweet chili sauce (Nước mắm pha), peanut sauce, and hoisin dipping sauce. Spring rolls almost constitute an entire category of Vietnamese food, incorporating a wide variety of ingredients in preparation.

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls – Gỏi cuốn

Delicious fresh and crisp Vietnamese spring rolls or Gỏi cuốn with shrimp, herbs, and rice vermicelli wrapped up to create an interesting and complex flavor. Enjoy served with sweet chili sauce (Nước mắm pha), peanut sauce, and hoisin dipping sauce.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Spring Rolls

• ½ pound cooked shrimp halved
• ¼ cup fresh mint. chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• 1 - 2 carrots cut into matchsticks
• 1 large cucumber peel and seeded, cut into matchsticks
• fresh lime
• rice stick cooked and cooled
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• rice paper wrappers

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce – Nước mắm pha

• 1 ½ cup fresh coconut water
• 8 Tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 6 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 fresh red chili seeded and finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• ¼ cup carrots finely grated

Instructions

Spring Rolls

• Begin by slicing and chopping all ingredients (Mise en place).
• Dip a sheet of rice paper in warm water according to the instructions and place it on the wet towel. There is a bit of a knack to working with these wrappers, so just go for it. There is only one way to learn how to work with the wrappers, don’t be afraid.
• Start by placing three shrimp halves in the center of the wrapper, show side or top is face down.
• Add the rest of the ingredients alternating colors and textures.
• Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime.
• Gently fold (stretch) the lower edge of the wrapper up over the ingredients. Fold (stretch) the sides in to create an envelope.
• Close the roll by gently stretching the remaining flap across the roll, re-moistening if necessary to seal.

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce – Nước mắm pha

• Combine the coconut water, rice vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan.
• Slowly bring mixture to a gentle boil.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Add the fish sauce, lime juice, chili, garlic and carrots into the cooled mixture.
• Leftover sauce can be frozen for another meal.

Serve

• Serve with sweet chili sauce (Nước mắm pha), peanut sauce, and hoisin dipping sauce.
  

Notes

These are the ingredients I used to make my rolls. Feel free to create your own combinations.

I rough chop my herbs for ease of eating, but you can certainly leave them whole if you prefer.

I wet a tea towel and place it on my cutting board to work on; the wet towel helps to keep the rice papers moist and easier to work with. Practice makes perfect.

I would highly suggest you make these a few times for yourself before attempting to “wow” your friends, or you just might but not in the way intended.