Fresh Spring Rolls
Summer rolls, also known as fresh spring rolls, are one of my favorite things to order at a restaurant. They are made from rice paper wrappers rolled around fresh crunchy vegetables partnered with cold proteins, fresh herbs, and sometimes noodles.
Summer rolls are also surprisingly easy to make at home. Yes, you should probably sit down and read through the directions before you start, and maybe the first roll or two will be a bit flimsy (but no less tasty), but soon you’ll be filling rice paper wrappers with cool and fresh fillings before every summer cookout.
Summer roll filling has four parts: the cold protein, the vegetables, the rice noodles, and the greens (both the herbs and lettuce). Try stacking these four components and your filling will topple. Instead, wrap the slippery vegetables and noodles inside the lettuce. Then you can easily lay the herbs and shrimp in the wrapper and top with the lettuce roll. It makes wrapping easier, but also makes the presentation neater and the rolls easier to eat.
Ingredients:
For the filling
- 1 quart water
- 24 medium uncooked shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- Juice 1/2 medium lime (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 small seedless cucumber, julienned
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
- 2 large radishes, julienned
- 1 medium scallion, thinly sliced
To assemble the rolls
- 4 ounces dried cellophane noodles (also called bean threads)
- 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- 16 (8 1/2-inch) rice paper wrappers
- 30 fresh basil or mint leaves
- 8 leaves bibb or butter lettuce, halved