Vietnamese recipe: Crystal shrimp spring rolls

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TV chef and Asian food aficionado, Jet Tila shares one of his fail-safe (and delicious) recipes for Vietnamese prawn spring rolls.

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These Vietnamese spring rolls are classic fresh uncooked rolls with soft rice skins. This version is my favorite, but you can fill this wrap with a variety of proteins and vegetables if you want to try something different. The secret to holding these rolls to eat later is to place a moist paper towel, then a piece of plastic wrap, between layers.

Rice papers can be found in many shapes and sizes. I like using the 8-inch (20-cm) papers. Make sure to check the package for cracks in the papers. You can’t mend them, so buy whole, unbroken papers.

Ingredients

Makes 8 rolls

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce
½ cup (120 ml) hoisin sauce
3 tbsp (45 g) creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp (60 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar

Spring Rolls

4 oz (95 g) rice vermicelli noodles
1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
2 cups (85 g) shredded lettuce
8 (8" [20-cm]) round rice paper sheets
½ cup (25 g) Vietnamese basil leaves
½ cup (25 g) fresh cilantro leaves
8 oz (240 g) cooked, peeled shrimp, cut in half lengthwise

For the sauce

Combine the sauce ingredients, then set aside until ready to serve.

Method

Cook the rice vermicelli noodles in boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until al dente. Shock them in ice water to stop the cooking process, and drain them well.

Combine the noodles, carrot and lettuce to make the filling.

Soak the rice paper in warm water for about 15 seconds, until it starts to soften, and then place it on your cutting board. Place about ½ cup (25 g) of the vegetable filling in the center of the wrapper and top it with the basil, cilantro and two shrimp pieces.

Roll from the bottom up, containing the filling with your fingers. Once the bottom skin rolls over once, push down to flatten it a little. Fold in two sides snugly, and then roll up the parcel. Lay it seam-side down on a serving plate. Serve with the Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce.

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For more tasty recipes, check out Jet’s book: 101 Asian dishes you need to cook before you die. If this leaves you feeling inspired, why not take your own Asian foodie adventure with our Culinary Cambodia Fully Tailored Itinerary? Or get in touch with our team.