Gỏi cuốn: Vietnamese spring rolls
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As one of the best foodie places in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is known for its spring rolls, or gỏi cuốn, and for good reason. They are delicious, fresh, healthy, and easy to prepare. Plus, they can be tailored to fit any palate or dietary preference. Whether you’re vegan, gluten-free, or just looking for a quick and tasty meal, spring rolls are sure to please!
Gỏi cuốn spring rolls are said to be dated back to the early 1800s when King Nguyễn Huệ Quang Trung demanded his men to be mobile in times of war. Thus, they created "mobile" meals by making spring rolls.
While the fillings and wrapping methods have changed over time, the basic ingredients have remained the same. Spring rolls are typically made with rice paper wrappers, shrimp, pork, vegetables, and vermicelli noodles then served fresh and cold.
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In Vietnam, you can find fresh spring rolls at restaurants and street vendors. If you're wanting an adventure, you could even take a Vietnamese cooking class to learn how to make this delicious dish from professionals!
After you put the finishing touches on your spring rolls, you can enjoy them with either two of the most popular dipping sauces: nuoc cham, a sweet and sour fish sauce, or peanut sauce.
Ingredients
Spring rolls
- 12 pieces white rice paper wrappers
- 450g shrimp (about 36 pieces)
- 12 leaves butter lettuce
- 2 cucumbers, cut into thin matchsticks
- 2 carrots, cut or shaved into thin matchsticks
- 1 bunch cilantro with stems cut off
- warm water for spring rolls, set aside
- 85g thin rice vermicelli noodles / Maifun (optional)
- 1 bunch green onions (optional)
Nuoc cham sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
- 5 tbsp water
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Thai chili, sliced (optional)
Peanut sauce
- 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup water, add more for consistency preference
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Directions
- 1Choose your dipping sauce above and mix the ingredients together. You can add more of an ingredient to taste. Add a little warm water if needed to help the sugar melt better.
- 2In a small pot, heat water to boiling then add the shrimp. Leave the shrimp in pot for 2-3 minutes, or until pink, then set aside to cool.
- 3If you're using the noodles, prepare them now, following the instructions on the bag. Once the noodles are soft or clear, drain noodles while running them under cold water. You can also cut the noodles using kitchen scissors if you'd like.
- 4Prepare a station to start rolling the spring rolls. Typically, you'll need a flat space - usually a cutting board works - with each ingredient within reach, including the bowl of warm water.
- 5Dip 1 rice paper wrapper in lukewarm water. You can spin it around in the water so the whole wrapper is softened.
- 6Lay the wrapper on your flat surface. About 1 inch towards the bottom, add butter lettuce, a few pieces of carrots and cucumber, 1-2 long stems of cilantro with leaves, and green onions. Arrange 3 shrimp on top.
- 7Start rolling. Take the bottom (side closest to you) and roll up. Once you reach the middle of the wrapper, tuck in the sides, and then continue rolling. The rice paper will be sticky so it will stick to itself.
- 8Repeat the process until the ingredients are finished.
- 9Serve the spring rolls cold with dipping sauce.
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