Vietnamese Summer Rolls
- 4 oz bean thread noodles*
- 8 large round rice papers *
- 6-8 romaine lettuce leaves, shredded
- ½ c. basil leaves (Thai basil, if available)
- ½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped, tough stems removed
- ½ c. mint leaves, chopped
- 1 c. bean sprouts
- ½ c. shredded carrots
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add bean thread noodles. Allow noodles to soak for about 5 minutes, until transparent and glassy. Drain into a colander, rinse under cold water, and allow to dry thoroughly while you prepare the other ingredients.
Assemble the vegetables and herbs on a cutting board or on small plates for convenient access.
Fill a large bowl with very hot water. Take a rice paper and dip it into the water for a few seconds to soften. A Vietnamese friend tells me that she uses a spray bottle filled with hot water to prepare her rice papers – the point is to get them wet so that they become soft and stretchy. Lay the wrapper flat. Two inches from the end, place a row of lettuce, a row of noodles, some herbs, some bean sprouts, and some carrots. Don’t overfill – less is more! Tightly roll the rice paper, tucking in the ends. Serve rolls with one of the dipping sauces below.
Hoisin Dipping Sauce
Mix together:
¼ c. hoisin sauce
2 T water
1 T rice vinegar
1 T finely minced onion or shallot
1 T chopped peanuts (optional)
OR
Vegan Nuoc Cham
Mix together:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. ground chili paste*
¼ c. vegetarian fish sauce* or soy sauce
2/3 c. hot water
2 T fresh lime juice
¼ c. sugar
*available at Asian markets
OR
Simple Peanut Sauce (higher in fat – avoid this if you need to lose weight)
Use a blender or hand blender to process until smooth:
2 T natural peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 T soy sauce
4 t. white vinegar
1 T sugar
⅛ t. cayenne
½ c. water
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