Vietnamese Spring Rolls

You certainly can make a wide variety of fillings; here are two common versions – shrimp and pork. Enough for 12 servings each.

Shrimp:
1 oz bean thread rice vermicelli
6 large spring roll rice wrapper
18 large cooked shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise
3 green onions, sliced thinly, lengthwise
½ cucumber, seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
½ cup shredded carrot
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
handful cilantro leaves (or Italian flat-leaf parsley)
handful bean, alfalfa or other sprouts

Soak the bean thread in cold water until hydrated and softened. Drain well. Dip the spring roll wrapper in a large bowl of cold water for 20-30 seconds, drain and lay out on a clean work surface. Place three shrimp halves on the wrapper just below the center towards you. Top with one sixth of each of the remaining ingredients. Pull wrapper edge closest to you up over ingredients. Fold left and right sides over and then roll tightly. Slice roll in half on a bias. Servie with dipping sauce.

Pork:
1 lb boneless pork country spare ribs, cut in half lengthwise
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp chili sauce with garlic
6 large spring roll rice wrapper
18 large cooked shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise
3 green onions, sliced thinly, lengthwise
½ cucumber, seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
½ cup shredded carrot
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
handful cilantro leaves (or Italian flat-leaf parsley)
handful bean, alfalfa or other sprouts

Place the pork in a small soup pot with just enough water to cover. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and chili paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for five minutes, until the pork is just cooked through. Remove the pork to a plate and place in the refrigerator to cool. Reserve the broth for a nice Asian soup. When cool, slice pork thinly.

Soak the bean thread in cold water until hydrated and softened. Drain well. Dip the spring roll wrapper in a large bowl of cold water for 20-30 seconds, drain and lay out on a clean work surface. Place one sixth of the pork slices on the wrapper just below the center towards you. Top with one sixth of each of the remaining ingredients. Pull wrapper edge closest to you up over ingredients. Fold left and right sides over and then roll tightly. Slice roll in half on a bias. Serve with dipping sauce.