Well, let's see what goes inside this Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll:

RICE PAPER (Bánh Tráng)

RICE PAPER (Bánh Tráng)

    I often buy the large circular rice papers, as they are easy to fold and also holds more fillings.  Smaller rice papers also suits well for the recipe, but your spring rolls will be much smaller and if you are a beginner, it might turn out to be tough to wrap them up.

SPRING ROLL FILLING

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.

    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

VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn

    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.

    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

    Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls are served with Peanut Sauce, Nước Chấm (a spicy fish sauce based condiment).

Peanut Sauce:

Ingredients:

Method:

Nước Chấm:

Ingredients:

Garlic - 1–2 Cloves 

Red Bird's Eye Chillies - 1 No.

Fish Sauce - 2 Tablespoons

Lime Juice - 1 Tablespoon

Sweet Chilli Sauce - 2 Tablespoons (Optional)

• 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.

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.

Rolling the Spring Rolls:

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.

• 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.

VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS - Gỏi Cuốn