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| VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn |
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls – we might have come across those crispy deep-fried spring rolls with a variety of fillings, but these Fresh Spring Rolls are the ones made with Rice Paper and are served fresh, i.e. not much of cooking is involved in this recipe.
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls are called "Gỏi Cuốn", which means “Salad Rolls.” Rice Paper (Bánh Tráng) are slightly dipped in water to make it soft. Then these Vietnamese Spring Rolls are typically
filled with Shrimp, Pork, Chicken, Vegetables like Carrots, Cucumber, Mushrooms, some greens like Lettuce, Cabbage, and Rice/Glass Noodles. And mainly it is not cooked. Most of the ingredients inside the Fresh Spring Roll except Shrimps/Mushrooms/Chicken and Rice Noodles, all the other ingredients including the Rice Paper are used fresh/raw.
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| VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn |
I usually make this Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Shrimps and Vegetables. But, when I made this batch I just had a few vegetables in hand and thus this turned out to be a Vegetarian version of Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll. Get your hands with preferred ingredients while making this Fresh Spring Rolls. Vietnamese spring rolls are traditionally served with Nước chấm (a dip made of fish sauce), but they’re great with Peanut Sauce as well.
Well, let's see what goes inside this Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll:
RICE PAPER (Bánh Tráng)
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RICE PAPER (Bánh Tráng) |
SPRING ROLL FILLING
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| VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn |
VEGETABLES:
I like the combination of Vegetables like Carrot, Cucumber & Cabbage. The Vegetables add the needed crunchiness in this Spring Roll. I have also added a few pieces of sliced Button Mushrooms instead of Shrimps in this recipe. I have briefly cooked the Mushrooms with a pinch of Salt.
Vietnamese spring roll recipes use lettuce leaves, as they turn out to be helpful during the rolling process. When you nestle the noodles, vegetables, and shrimps inside the lettuce leaf, the filling won’t spread out everywhere as you roll up the spring roll. The lettuce adds a nice colour contrast along with the shrimps.
If you are adding Shrimps/Prawns in this fresh spring rolls, then use medium-sized Shrimps. Make sure to de-shell, devein and clean the Shrimps/Prawns and then pre-cook them in salted water for a few minutes. Shrimp/Prawns turn out to be vibrant when cooked, which looks good through the transparent rice paper. Let the cooked Shrimp/Prawns cool down before placing them in the Rice Paper.
CHICKEN/PORK:
You can also, substitute Shrimps with chicken or pork. Use small pre-cooked Chicken/Pork pieces.
GLASS/RICE NOODLES:
Some recipes call for adding Glass Noodles or Rice Noodles. Pre-cook the type of Noodles you are adding in as per the instruction and allow them to cool down before lining it up inside the Rice Paper.
ROLLING THE SPRING ROLL
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| VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn |
ADD THE FILLING:
Lay a piece of rice paper. Then, place lettuce, noodles, & vegetables. Next, neatly line the shrimps about an inch above the lower edge of the rice paper. I have substituted Shrimp with Button Mushrooms in this recipe. By leaving a gap between the Shrimp/Mushroom and vegetables, the shrimp will look more vibrant in the final roll because they will be covered by only one layer of rice paper. I usually roll spring rolls on top of a chopping board or over a plate. To prevent the rice paper from sticking to the board, I quickly wet the board by brushing water over it with my hand. After every two spring rolls or so, I will wet the board again.
THE FINAL ROLLING:
When you are ready to roll the spring roll, hold the lower edge of the rice paper with your thumbs and pointer fingers, lift, and roll up the spring roll. Use your other fingers to hold the filling together. Continue rolling the spring roll until you reach the shrimp portion. Then, fold the left and right sides of the spring roll toward the centre. Finally, roll the spring roll all the way to the end.
DIPPING SAUCES
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| PEANUT SAUCE |
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls are served with Peanut Sauce, Nước Chấm (a spicy fish sauce based condiment).
Peanut Sauce:
Ingredients:
Method:
- First slightly heat the Peanut Oil and keep it aside.
- Mix all the ingredients mentioned above until well combined.
- Finally, pour in the heated Peanut Oil and give a quick stir.
- Peanut Sauce is ready to be served with Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls.
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Nước Chấm:
Ingredients:
Method:
- Finely chop the Garlic Clove and Red Bird's eye Chilli.
- Add the above ingredients along with the Sauces, Lime Juice & Sugar.
- Pour in the warm water and mix well until the Sugar dissolves.
HOW TO MAKE VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn
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| VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn |
INGREDIENTS:
For Fresh Spring Roll:
For the Filling:
METHOD:
Preparing the Vegetables:
- Cut the Vegetables into thin strips.
- Remove the thick stems at the centre ribs and then shred the butter head Lettuce and keep it aside.
- Briefly cooked the Mushrooms with a pinch of Salt.
- If you are adding Shrimps or chicken Pieces instead of Mushrooms, cook accordingly and keep them aside.
How to Cook the Noodles:
- Boil enough water in a saucepan or a pot.
- Add the Noodles into the hot water.
- Leave the noodles in the hot water for about 7–10 minutes. (Check package for cooking time).
- Once the noodles turns soft, drain and rinse the noodles in cold water.
- I usually cut the noodles into two inch long strands so that they are suitable to be lined up in the spring rolls. Alternatively, you can simply fold the noodles and then place them in the spring rolls.
Rolling the Spring Rolls:
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RICE PAPER (Bánh Tráng) |
- Keep a Bowl of Warm water ready for the preparations.
- Take a sheet of Dry Rice Paper.
- Quickly dip the sheet of rice paper in the lukewarm water to moisten the entire surface.
- Immediately, place the rice paper on a cutting board or a plate.
- Place a few pieces of shredded Lettuce at the top edge of the Rice Paper.
- Then arrange a few strands of Rice/Glass Noodles over it.
- Then place thin strips of Carrots & Cucumber.
- Finally, line up pre-cooked Button Mushrooms or Shrimps or Chicken pieces at the bottom edge of the Rice Paper. Keep them facing down.
- Now, gently take the top edge of the Rice Paper and Lettuce and start rolling up the Spring Roll.
- Once, you reach the Mushroom/shrimp area, fold the Rice Paper at the Left & Right Sides.
- Finish up the rolling process until the end of the Rice Paper.
- Tuck it up well and secure the Rice Paper Roll.
- Follow the suit for the rest of the Fresh Spring Rolls.
- Serve Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rills with your choice of Dipping Sauce.
- Serves best as a Starter.
NOTES:
- You can use Vegetables like Bell Pepper to add colours to the Spring Roll.
- Can also add herbs like Mint or Parsley to add some aroma.
- While using Butter Head Lettuce, make sure to remove the stiff stems.
- Precook the Shrimps/Pork/Chicken/Mushrooms, before placing them in the Spring Roll.
- Can use pre cooked Rice Noodles or Glass Noodles to the Spring Roll.
- The Rolling Surface and the Rice Paper should be moist while making these Spring Rolls.
- If the chopping board or plate turns dry through the process, simply brush some water with your hand over it. Keep the surface moist throughout the process.
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| VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn |
CAN YOU MAKE FRESH SPRING ROLLS AHEAD?
Personally, I feel it is best when consumed fresh that's within a few hours of preparing them. Another issue is that the rice paper tears when kept for a long time. The wetness from the Vegetables & shrimps easily tears off the rice paper. If you refrigerate spring rolls overnight, the rice paper hardens, making them difficult to chew. And reheating it is not a good idea at all, as the ingredients inside may not taste as fresh as it is and also the texture of the rice paper changes when done so. So my preference and advice is to eat freshly made spring rolls within a few hours.
