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With this rice paper hack, you can quickly whip up a plate of steamed rice noodle rolls in no time.
Steamed rice noodle rolls, or cheung fun, are a beloved dish found in many dim sum restaurants. Traditionally, they are made with a rice batter steamed into delicate sheets, then filled with various ingredients like shrimp, pork, or vegetables. But if you’re looking for a quicker version that skips the time-consuming batter preparation, rice paper is a fantastic alternative.
Why Use Rice Paper?
Vietnamese rice paper, commonly used in spring/summer rolls, is a pre-made product made from rice flour, tapioca starch, water, and salt. When hydrated, it becomes flexible and mimics the thin, translucent quality of traditional steamed rice sheets. This makes it an excellent shortcut for homemade rice noodle rolls, as you can simply steam or hydrate them to achieve a similar texture without making rice batter from scratch.
Why This Hack Works
Rice paper is versatile and when steamed, it closely mimics the silky texture of traditional rice noodle rolls. This hack not only saves time but also makes it easier for home cooks to recreate dim sum delicacies without needing special tools or ingredients like rice batter. With this rice paper hack, you can quickly whip up a plate of steamed rice noodle rolls, perfect for breakfast, lunch, or even as an appetizer for a dinner party. Enjoy!
Easy Rice Paper Cheung Fun
Ingredients
- 10 sheets rice paper
- 30 pieces shrimp medium to large size, peeled, deveined
- 2 stalks green onion finely chopped
Dipping sauce:
- 2 Tbsp hot water
- 2 tsp sugar or more as needed
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce or more as needed
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Garnishes: (optional)
- green onion finely chopped
- Toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the dipping sauce:
- Combine hot water with sugar and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce and sesame oil. have a taste and adjust by adding more soy sauce and/or sugar to suit your taste preference. Cover and it can be kept in the fridge for about one week
Things to prepare before you start making the cheung fun:
- Use medium to large size shrimp. Remove the tail and shells. Remove the vein from the back of the shrimp. If you use frozen shrimp, thaw the shrimp before using
- Use an absorbent paper towel to pat the shrimp dry on both sides
- Prepare a plate that has been lightly oiled for you to place the rolls once assembled. This plate should fit into the steamer you use
- Bring the water in the steamer to a boil and then lower the heat to medium
Assembling the cheung fun:
- Fill a shallow wide bowl with water. Take one sheet of dry rice paper and gently dip the paper into the water, rotating the sheet to make sure the water moistens the sheet all over. It may not soften instantly, but you can tell once it starts to soften
- Place it on a work surface, like a dry cutting board.
- Arrange 3 pieces of large shrimp (or 4 if the shrimp is smaller in size) horizontally on the center of the sheet. Sprinkle with some chopped green onion
- Loosely fold the bottom over and then the two sides over.
- Then roll up to the other end.
- Place the seam side down on a plate that has been lightly oiled (or use non stick spary) to prevent sticking. Brush each roll with some oil or use a cooking spray so they won't stick to each other after steaming. Repeat with the rest of the rice paper and shrimp. You can arrange the rolls by stacking them on top of each other, but don't forget to oil each roll
Steam:
- Once the steamer is ready, put the plate inside the steamer. Steam for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp has turned pink and the rice paper has turned opaque in color
Serve:
- Remove from the steamer and serve immediately. Sprinkle with some green onion and toasted white sesame seeds. You can drench the rolls with the sauce or serve the sauce on the side
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
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Choose the right rice paper is important
Not all rice paper gives a texture similar to rice noodle rolls made from scratch. Some give a very chewy texture, which I don’t like. It’s too chewy to be considered cheung fun. When you choose rice paper to make easy cheung fun, make sure the first ingredient is rice flour and NOT tapioca flour. If the first ingredient is tapioca flour, the cheung fun comes out very chewy. The noodle rolls also look very translucent because of the high amount of tapioca starch in the rice paper.
Can this be made ahead?
These are best eaten on the same day and right after they come out from the steamer. That’s like the best! However, if you have leftovers, you can cover them tightly in a cling wrap and store them in the fridge for a day or two is okay. You can reheat by steaming again for a minute or two and it should soften again. I don’t recommend keeping them any longer than that though! The texture of the rice paper starts to change.
Optional Variations
1. Sauces: I usually make a very simple dipping sauce. You can also serve with hoisin sauce, chili oil, or peanut dipping sauce to complement the rice noodle rolls.
2. Double Wrap: For extra thickness, double-wrap the rolls using two sheets of rice paper before steaming. Remember that when you do that, the rolls tend to be chewier. I prefer to use only one sheet
3. Pan-Fried Finish: After steaming, lightly pan-fry the rolls for a crispy exterior while maintaining the soft interior.
