My Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls Experiment

Finally! After 5 restaurants, Pho24, Ba Nois, Pho Hoa, Pho Bac and Oodys, I am now confident I know how Fresh Vietnamese Rolls should taste.  I googled several recipes in the internet and I chose the one with the simplest ingredients and I know which will produce a taste I like.  http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/5009/authentic-and-very-fresh-vietnamese-spring-rolls

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls



Ingredients per roll:

Transparent rice paper 



20 g. shrimps, boiled in salted water and sliced into half
20 g. pork chop, loin or butt, boiled in salted water and sliced thinly
10 g. rice noodles/vermicelli, cooked



Basil



mint leaves



lettuce, just the leaves not the hard vein
Chinese chives

Boil the rice noodles for 3-5 minutes until al dente. Rinse in cold water. (Do not use bihon or sotanghon.  I was able to buy rice noodles in Zaifu, Rockwell.)
On a plate with warm water, soak the rice paper wrapper until soft, about 10 seconds.
Place on top of  kitchen towel or plate.
Layer the lettuce, basil, mint, noodles and pork slices.
Roll tightly then add the sliced shrimps, cut side facing the roll. 
Fold the ends and roll.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and put a damp cloth on top.

It tasted really good! If I compare it to the other fresh spring rolls, I like mine better because it has more meat and shrimps and very little noodles, probably just a tablespoon in each roll.



Unlike the ones I have tried,   most were  made up of noodles, carrots and cucumber, the shrimps were only decorations.

I ate the rolls with Nuoc Leo, peanut-hoisin sauce.  http://oishiieats.blogspot.com/2007/05/vietnamese-mama.html



1T. cooking oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. Chili Garlic sauce
1 T. sugar
1/3 C. hoisin sauce
3 T. peanut butter
2-3 T. water or shrimp broth

Heat a cooking pan.  Add oil and cook garlic until fragrant,  Add the hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, peanut butter and sugar.  Stir for 15 seconds then add water.  Serve as dipping sauce with the Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls.

Very easy make! This is the dish I am going to prepare in the Asian dinner I am going to have with a few close friends next week.  I hope they like it!