Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce (Adapted from CHOW)

By brendaz

Fresh and light, these Summer Rolls (sometimes called Salad Rolls) are a perfect appetizer or lunch on a warm summer day!

Ingredients

• Spicy Peanut Sauce:
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
• 4 tsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian food section of your grocery store)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• Summer Rolls:
• 12 individual rice paper wrappers (8-inch)
• 18 medium-sized cooked shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 small package thin rice vermicelli
• 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts, washed and dried
• 12 small leaves head lettuce (or 6 large cut in half)
• 12 thin slices of cooked leftover pork tenderloin
• 6 mint leaves, cut in half
• 12 sprigs cilantro

Preparation

Step 1

Peanut Sauce:

Combine all sauce ingredients together and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. I like to serve it topped with a bit of Sriracha sauce and chopped peanuts for garnish.

Summer Rolls: (for really detailed instruction with photos of each step, visit my blog Apron Strings and Tasty Things at www.foodandfact.com)

1) Place the vermicelli into a bowl of hot water and let it soak until soft. Drain, rinse with cold water and then place into a bowl of cold water until ready to use.

2) Prepare all the filling ingredients one-by-one and place each ingredient into its own bowl on the counter. It's best to have everything ready to go before you begin working with the rice paper.

3) Once you are ready to roll, place a damp towel on the counter. Put about 1-inch of hot tap water into a pan just large enough to hold a piece of rice paper. Place the rice paper into the hot water and let it soak for a few seconds- just long enough for it to become soft and pliable, 20 seconds at the most. Remove the rice paper and place it flat onto the damp towel. (You will need to soak and roll one at a time.)

4) Place 3 shrimp halves side-by-side on the bottom third of the rice paper, leaving at least an inch on each side. Top the shrimp with a pinch of vermicelli (not too much). Top the vermicelli with a half of a mint leaf on each end and a sprig of cilantro across the center. Add a few bean sprouts (I lined them up neatly so they stayed in place easily) and then roll up a piece of lettuce tightly and place that on top of the bean sprouts. Lastly place a slice of pork on top.

To roll, fold the end of the wrapper closest to you over the filling, then fold in both sides to enclose the filling, and, holding the roll firmly, roll it up the rest of the way. As each roll is completed, transfer it to a platter and cover with a damp towel. That's it! Once all of the rolls are completed, keep them covered with a damp towel and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. These should not be kept for more than three or four hours before serving; the fresher the better. Serve them with the delicious peanut sauce and ...enjoy!