Vietnamese Spring Rolls

[NenaPR51]

I had to come in here and brag about my Spring Rolls. First time that I prepare them and they turned out just as perfect or BETTER than the restaurant's. I got the rice paper, bean sprouts, cabbage with slivers of carrot, cilantro, fresh cooked shrimp, green onions, Hoisin sauce, peanut butter, cooked rice noodles, and romaine lettuce. With warm water running from the faucet, I wet the rice paper oblongs on one side only and piled them on top of each other with the wet side on top. Then one by one I put toppings on them making sure I did not put too many toppings so as to allow me to wrap into a roll. The rice paper holds very very well as it is wet and very sticky. Then I poured Hoisin sauce in a small pot and warmed it up in low temperature and added peanut butter to taste, mixing them until making sure the mixture was smooth. I added half a cup of water to dilute the sauce a bit. I served the rolls with the sauce and a scoop of white rice. It was a success with my family !!! Love it !! TIP: make sure you keep the rolls covered with a wet cloth or paper towel; the rice paper will dry up and the rolls will not hold together for too long.

 

[kitchenelf]

Vietnamese Spring Rolls are my favorite, favorite, favorite!!!!!! I love to load mine with cilantro! LOL Don't you love it when you make something so wonderful! Congrats

 

[NenaPR51]

Thank you !!! I just joined and already got a good review from the Administrator !! WOW !!! Thanks !!

 

[boufa06]

You can also serve the rolls with sweet chilli sauce.

 

[Chopstix]

I'm sure this recipe is good! Authenticity-wise though, I don't believe Hoisin sauce is used in Vietnamese cuisine ...

 

[Gretchen]

At our viet resto this type is usually referred to as a "summer roll" where the shell is not fried =spring roll.
I love these with a passion.
I have also done a bit of a fusion thing for a cocktail buffet table and filled the wrappers with shrimp or chicken salad, wrapped them and cut in half for service.

 

[expatgirl]

Also, don't forget to add some fresh basil and fresh mint along with the cilantro mentioned to your rolls--Wonderful!!!

We make them all the time and living part-time in Houston we have the great pleasure of dining at many Vietnamese restaurants as well as having several area Asian supermarkets to shop at.

Here is a wonderful hoisin peanut sauce that makes 2 cups and you can scale it down to whatever portions you want:

1 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup pureed or finely minced yellow onion
1 Tablespoon ground chili paste or to taste (very hot)**This is called
1 Tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts for garnish or chop them even finer

Put the first 4 ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add a little water if too thick. Set aside to cool. Place into a sauce dish and add chili paste (do taste tests here--start with 1/2 teaspoon at a time----my family goes for the whole hog of a tablespoon but that's not going to work for everyone's palates especially if they don't like super spicy--you can always have the chili paste on the table for those who like the demon horns and trident.
1 Tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts

 

[Gretchen]

Our viet resto serves peanut sauce with theirs.
Also, to "dress them up" a little, you can split cooked shrimp in half and lay them on a side of the roll they will show through when wrapped.
When I wrap mine, I do it one at at time by dipping the rice paper in a pie pan filled with warm water to soften it. Then lay it out and fill and roll.
I am interested that you could actually stack yours wet.
I am away from home right now but will post a link to the Washington Post summer roll article of several years ago. It is a great reference for doing these. I do love them also.
Well, unfortunately I can't get a link, but there are lots of good recipe sites for viet food and these.

 

[thumpershere2]

Sounds wonderful Nenapr51, I would love to try and make something like that. Congrats to you on your success.

 

[jennyema]

Many vietnamese restaurants around here use a hoisin sauce base for their "peanut sauce."

I posted a recipe for Elephant Walk's dressing that can be used for fabulous summer rolls. It's super easy and addictively delicious.

I made some a few days ago with leftover Tgiving turkey (and rice vemacelli, bean sprouts, daikon, carrot, cilantro, mint and scalloins.

 

[htc]

Some not so good Vietnamese resturants use straight hoisin sauce for dipping. Not good for dipping rolls. As for the dipping sauce, many people I know use pb/hoisin for a quick and easy way to make the sauce. My mom however makes it the old school way with a little beans in the mix.

I often wonder how the name of the salad roll got warped over time and various resturants. The roll you've made in Vietnamese is called goi cuon, litterally translated to salad roll. But I've heard them referred to as summer rolls, spring rolls and salad rolls. Too many darn names for the same thing I get confused.

 

[jennyema]

Some not so good Vietnamese resturants use straight hoisin sauce for dipping. Not good for dipping rolls.

I totally agree. I have been served hoisin with chopped peanuts mixed in too many times. I prefer nuac cham.

 

[boufa06]

Hi folks, here is a typical dipping sauce for Vietnamese spring rolls.

Peanut Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Leo)

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup tamarind juice
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 tbsps sugar
1/2 cup ground peanuts
2 tbsps chopped garlic

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir well.