The theme for vietnamese food is fresh vegetables and herbs. These vietnamese-style spring rolls are loaded with such an abundance of fresh vegetables and flavorful herbs. They are great as an appetizer and are delicious dipped in peanut or fish sauce.
To make vietnamese spring rolls, start by cooking the meat and shrimp. Slice the chicken meat, peel and devein the shrimp.
Marinate the sliced meat with sugar, soy sauce and white pepper for at least an hour.
Then pan fry the meat on lightly oiled wok or pan, caramelize with some dark soy sauce.
Set aside the pan fried meat for later use.
Next, boil salt water on high heat in a small pan. Then add in shrimp, reduce heat to medium and allow the shrimp to simmer for 2 -3 minutes or until pink and cooked through.
Remove the shrimp and allow to cool. Then slice the shrimp in half lengthwise and set aside.
Next, prepare the noodles. Briefly soak rice vermicelli noodles in water.
Then cook the rice vermicelli noodles in a wok of boiling water for about 3 minutes, or until al dente.
Remove rice vermicelli, rinse in cold water and drain.
Set aside the cooked noodles.
Then prepare ingredients to make the smooth peanut sauce.
Heat up oil in the pan and fry garlic until lightly golden brown.
Then add in water.
And the sugar.
Followed by hoisin sauce.
And the creamy peanut butter.
Stir all ingredients together on low heat until the sauce becomes smooth and shiny.
Finally turn off the heat and turn the sauce onto serving bowl, garnish with ground roasted peanut and garlic chili sauce (optional). Then set aside.
Next, prepare ingredients to make the other sauce - the sweet and sour fish sauce.
In a bowl of hot water, add in sugar and mix to dissolve the sugar.
Then add in fish sauce and minced garlic. Squeeze in fresh lime juice and chopped bird eye's chilies.
Mix everything together, adjust to taste and set aside.
Lastly, prepare ingredients to wrap the spring rolls.
First dip the rice paper evenly in warm water and shake off all the excess water.
Put the damp rice paper on a plate or flat surface.
Next, put the fresh vegetables, herbs and noodles on one row, the pan fried meat on the second row and the sliced shrimp on the third row.
Roll the spring roll up tightly.
And before you get to the end (before the shrimp), fold up one side of the wrap and add in one garlic chive.
Continue to roll it up and seal it at the end. And we're done!
Serve these fresh spring rolls with the peanut dipping sauce that you made earlier.
These spring rolls are also good with the sweet and sour light fish sauce too. So Enjoy!
An important element of a great Vietnamese spring roll is having a "crunch" in the centre. Examples of vegetables you can add for this crunch: carrots, cucumber, celery, bean sprouts, jicama.
Fresh herbs are mandatory for fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. Examples of fresh herbs you can use: any types of mint, basil, cilantro or other favourite vietnamese herbs.