Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)
Servings: 12 rolls
Learn how to make the best Vietnamese fresh spring rolls with savory umami dipping sauce. Perfect as appetizer, snack, or a light meal.
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Ingredients
- 36 pieces medium shrimp unpeeled and deveined , fresh or frozen (thawed)
- 12 thin slices of Vietnamese ham (cha lua) or any meat of your choice
- 280 g dried rice vermicelli noodles
- 12 rice papers (about 8 inches in diameter)
- 1 small cucumber seeded and cut into thin strips
- 12 lettuce leaves (trim off the hard stems)
- ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves
- 3-4 stalks of chives , cut into 12 thin slivers
Easy nuoc cham dipping sauce:
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 Tbsp sugar or more if you like it sweeter
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 red chili optional, seeded and finely chopped
Easy peanut dipping sauce:
- 120 g peanut butter creamy or chunky
- 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar plus more as needed
- ½ cup water plus more as needed
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha chili sauce optional, if you want it a bit spicy
- 2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
Other dipping sauce:
Instructions
Prepare nuoc cham dipping sauce
- Mix all the ingredients for dipping sauce together and stir until the sugar dissolves. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week max2 Tbsp fish sauce, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 Tbsp sugar , Juice of 1/2 lime, 1 red chili
Prepare peanut dipping sauce:
- Combine all the ingredients for dipping sauce. Have a taste and adjust to your preference. It should be savory with hint of sweetness120 g peanut butter, 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 Tbsp Sriracha chili sauce, 2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
Prepare the shrimp:
- I use shrimp that has been deveined but with shells on to prevent the shrimp from curling during cooking. If the shrimp you use hasn't been deveined, use small paring knife to run through the back of the shrimp to remove the dark lines along the back. Keep the shells in tact, though .36 pieces medium shrimp unpeeled and deveined
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook just until pink and firm to the touch, 1 to 3 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp). Lift out immediately with tongs or chopsticks and transfer to a plate to cool. Remove the shells when they are cool to touch. Set aside
Cook the noodles:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles for 3-4 minutes (or follow package instruction), or until soft, and drain. Refresh with cold water, drain, and set aside280 g dried rice vermicelli noodles
You can prepare everything ahead up to this point. Store them separately in air-tight containers for 3-4 days. You can assemble the spring roll on the same day you plan to serve them. DO NOT assemble ahead and keep in the fridge because the rice paper sheets turn hard when they are cold
Assembling:
- Place all the things you have prepared within your reach before you start assembling the rolls
- Place a large shallow platter of warm water by your work area. Working with 1 rice paper at a time, immerse the rice paper in the water. It will soften in less than 10-15 seconds. Lift it out and place it on a work surface. I just use a clean cutting board as my work surface12 rice papers
- Lay 1 piece of fresh lettuce, few strips of cucumber.1 small cucumber, 12 lettuce leaves, 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves
- Place a small handful of noodles on top of the lettuce, spreading them in a line across the lettuce. Top with some mint leaves.
- Place one or two thin slices of ham or any meat slice if you choose to use
- Place 3 pieces of shrimp (2 pieces if the shrimp is large in size) next to the lettuce.36 pieces medium shrimp unpeeled and deveined
- Fold the bottom side up to cover the noodle portion.
- Fold both sides over
- Roll over once to cover the shrimp portion
- Place 1 sliver of chive in the middle then continue to roll up and gently tuck in as you roll up so that the roll is tight and nice3-4 stalks of chives
- Cover with a damp cloth or with plastic wrap, then repeat with the remaining rolls.
To serve:
- Serve immediately, or set aside for up to 2 hours, covered with the damp cloth or a plastic wrap to prevent the wrappers from drying out at room temperature. Serve on a platter or on individual plates, whole or cut crosswise in half
- Use a small spoon to drizzle on the sauce as you eat mouthful by mouthful :)
