Summer Rolls are a Vietnamese snack food consisting of pork, shrimp, aromatic fresh herbs and rice noodles that are wrapped in rice paper. The difference between these Spring Rolls from other traditional rolls is that Vietnamese Spring/Summer rolls are served cold or at room temperature and are not fried. These a very light and are typical of the low fat cooking of the Vietnamese. They are snack food in Vietnam but are often served in restaurants as appetizers or as part of a light meal.
Often described on menus as goi cuon; this translates as "mixed salad roll". Leaf lettuce is the traditional filler as are cilantro and mint and sometimes basil. Rice vermicelli noodles that have been pre-cooked are also a staple as noted above. Vietnamese use a pork loaf similar to a spam as a filler too, you can substitute roasted pork or a deli ham instead. Also poached or grilled shrimp are chilled and sliced in half to stuff inside the rolls as well.
Summer rolls or Vietnamese spring rolls are normally dipped in a simple peanut sauce, thinned out hoisin sauce with peanut butter and water. Another popular dipping sauce is a combination of fish sauce, honey, lime, sugar and carrot.
These are great make ahead hors d'oeuvres and can vary just like sushi rolls. Some optional filling for these summer rolls could include; avocado, lobster, cooked shredded chicken, raw or pickled carrots, kimchee, curried noodles or rice, sea urchin, eel, salmon, cucumber.
Summer Rolls
- 8 6-inch rounds dried rice paper ( rice galettes)
- 8 leaves leaf or Boston Bibb lettuce, washed
- 2 cups cooked rice vermicelli, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- cooked shrimp, cut in half lengthwise
- grilled pork or deli ham sliced 1/8 inch thick
Dipping Sauce 1
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon Vietnamese chili-garlic paste, or to taste, or chopped fresh chilies to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Lime wedges
Dipping Sauce 2
- 1 cup (8 oz) hoisin sauce (if sauce is thick, add about 1/4 cup warm water to reach desired consistency)
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 Tbs rice vinegar
- 2 garlic, crushed
- 1 minced thai chili, or chili paste to taste
Method:
1. Set up a large bowl with hot water and a dry clean kitchen towel in your work area. Dip a sheet of rice paper a third of the way into a bowl of hot water for about 2 seconds. Turn it and dip the other side then lay on the towel.
2. On the bottom third of rice paper, spread a bit of lettuce, noodles, carrots, herbs and pork and/or shrimp. Fold up bottom edge to cover, then fold over the left and right sides and roll tightly in a jelly roll type fashion. Continue with remaining summer roll ingredients.
3. For dipping sauce 1:Combine fish sauce, sugar, ginger, chili-garlic paste and about 1/4 cup water. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
4. For dipping sauce 2: Warm the hoisin, water, garlic and peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Season with chili or chili paste and reserve in a bowl.
5. Serve rolls right away, or chill in refrigerator, covered with damp paper towels, up to 2 hours. Cut each roll into 2 pieces, then serve with dipping sauces.
Yield: 16 1/2 rolls
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