Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad Rolls

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MY TAKE

I absolutely love these rolls as an alternative to a salad meal on a hot summer's day. They are served cold and are so refreshing and light. The rolls can be served as a main meal or as a starter for a dinner. You can customize the ingredients to your own taste and cooking is minimal so no hot kitchen! They can be made a little in advance and wrapped in cling film and popped in the fridge until ready to serve.

The ingredients are very easy to adapt for dietary needs, for example the peanut sauce can be replaced with a soy/hoisin/vinegar sauce for anyone allergic to nuts.

It should be noted that the peanut sauce is ideal to be used for any noodle salad. You can choose whether to keep the rolls vegetarian or add a fish or meat of your choice. I tend to use smoked salmon and some pieces of cooked chicken or cooked tofu.

They are remarkable when presented to your guests at the table, or you can set up your own DIY rolling station so that your guests can "roll their own" which makes for a fun activity (and less for you to do!).

HISTORY

Fresh, light, and full of vibrant flavour, Vietnamese rice paper salad rolls—known as gỏi cuốn—have their roots in the southern regions of Vietnam. Traditionally made with delicate rice paper (bánh tráng) and filled with fresh herbs, vermicelli noodles, crisp vegetables, chicken, tofu, shrimp or pork, these rolls are a celebration of Vietnam’s abundant produce and its love of balance and freshness in food. Unlike their fried cousins, chả giò, these rolls are served uncooked, allowing the natural textures and colours to shine through. Originally a humble street food and family favourite, they’ve become a symbol of Vietnamese cuisine’s elegance and simplicity—perfect for warm weather and healthy eating.

THE RECIPE - VIETNAMESE SALAD ROLLS

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Servings: approx. 18-24rolls Prep time: 1 hour Chill time: 20/30 min

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INGREDIENTS

18-24 Rice paper wrappers

1 pack Fine rice noodles

1 Leafy lettuce (mixture of different coloured butter lettuce is best)

300 grams Fresh bean sprouts

1 Carrot

1/2 Cucumber

1 bunch Spring onions

Sprigs of chives, cilantro, or whatever herbs you have on hand for each roll.

1/2 cooked chicken breast (or equivalent) thinly sliced

and/or

Thinly sliced smoked salmon

Thinly sliced cooked tofu.

PEANUT SAUCE

3 tbs Peanut butter

3-4 tbs Water (or chicken stock)

1 tbs Crushed roasted peanuts (for topping)

1 tbs Sesame oil

1 tbs Soya Sauce

2-3 tbs Hoisin sauce

1 tbs Rice vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse all vegetables and dry. Cut approximately 5 inch long strips of cucumber, carrot, spring onion. Rinse and dry any herbs. Dry lettuce.

2. Boil some water in a pan, submerge rice noodles in the water and turn off the heat, then leave submerged for for 3 minutes. Separately, do the same with the bean sprouts. Rinse both bean sprouts and noodles in cold water to stop further cooking.

3 Cut up smoked salmon, prepare chicken and/or tofu and cut into strips.

4 Place all ingredients on counter ready to incorporate.

5. Place boiling water in a shallow large dish. add some cold water - water should be hot but cool enough to be able to touch.

6. Take a rice wrapper and immerse in the hot water in dish then place on chopping board. Starting with lettuce - pile ingredients onto wrapper and then roll tightly - tucking in one or both ends half way through rolling up.

7. Place a little apart (or interleave with parchment) on serving dish. Remove parchment and serve. If you prefer them chilled - chill in fridge for at least 20 mins before serving

8. Rolls can be wrapped in cling wrap to keep for up to 24 hours in fridge.

9. Blend all ingredients for dipping sauce (with electric blender/immersion blender or hand held wisk. Serve in individual bowls for dipping.

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GALLERY

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PREPARE

ASSEMBLE AND ROLL

LET'S TALK

Please let me know how you fare with this recipe and if you have any suggestions to improve it. I know that some of you will have your own family's version of this recipe passed down over years - which you may not want to part with! Send me your photos and your comments.

NOTES:.

The rolls can be kept for 2 days in the fridge (note take into account age of your protein) - they taste best if they are just rolled and chilled for 20 mins!

Rice noodles (vermicelli) and rice paper wraps are sold at most supermarkets, I purchase mine at my local Safeway/Fresh Street Market/Canadian Superstore

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