Vietnamese spring rolls with rice paper
Vietnamese cuisine, that great unknown. Traditionally grouped under the umbrella of Asian food—which it certainly belongs to—many people don’t realize that it is considered the purest cuisine in Asia, thanks to its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, and carefully balanced combinations of vegetables and spices.
Vietnamese dishes are also healthy and flavorful, with flexible techniques and a well-balanced nutritional profile (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats). It seems to have everything, so let’s get started—especially if you’re eager to try something as simple as these rolls, which will delight even the most discerning palates. As mentioned, they’re simple but time-consuming, so make them when you’ve got some time to spare 😉
Have a great Sunday!
Ingredients for 10 units
10 rice paper wrappers
2 chicken breast fillets
2 carrots
5 mushrooms
1/2 zucchini
1 handful of bean sprouts
1 handful of cabbage
1 handful of pre-cut bacon
1 handful of peeled shrimp
2.5 tablespoons soy sauce
Oil for sautéing
Instructions
Start with the meat so it can cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Grill the chicken fillets and let them cool at room temperature.
Peel the carrots and zucchini and cut them into sticks about 3 cm long (you can also dice them—just keep the pieces small for easier rolling). Cut the mushrooms into very small cubes.
In a pan with a bit of oil, sauté the bacon. After no more than 2 minutes, add the carrot sticks. Stir well, and once they begin to soften, add in this order: zucchini, cabbage, mushrooms, shrimp, and bean sprouts, leaving about 1 minute between each addition so they cook properly. After adding the bean sprouts, pour in the soy sauce and mix well.
Remove from heat and cut the chicken into cubes or strips (this time I used cubes). Add it to the sautéed mixture and stir until evenly combined.
Now for the rice paper wrappers. They are quite fragile, so handle them carefully when taking them out of the package.
Fill a container large enough to hold the wrappers with warm water (tap water is fine, as you’ll be handling them often). Soak one wrapper at a time for about 2 minutes until soft. While some suggest soaking them all at once, they tend to stick together—so it’s best to do them one by one.
Once softened, place the wrapper on a clean kitchen towel or a textured surface (like a cutting board). Place 2 tablespoons of filling about a quarter of the way from the edge. Compact it with your hands and fold the nearest edge over the filling, but don’t roll yet. Then fold in the sides (left and right) toward the center to seal the ends. Finally, roll it tightly, making sure it stays firm. Seal the edge with a bit of warm water.
It’s important that the roll is tight and firm. Otherwise, it may fall apart if you decide to fry it. I made half baked and half fried, but you can also eat them fresh since the filling is already cooked—just serve with a dipping sauce.
Notes
As mentioned, you can eat them fresh, fried, or baked. I like serving them with soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce in all cases.
Fried, they’re delicious, but note that rice paper doesn’t turn as golden as Chinese spring rolls—it stays a much lighter color. If baking them, place parchment paper on the tray and brush them with egg before baking.
You can fill them with almost anything you like: boiled egg, cucumber, different meats, bamboo shoots, onion, or peppers. I didn’t have rice vermicelli noodles this time, but they are traditionally included in Vietnamese roll fillings.