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Spring
Rolls In Rebecca Vesely |
P h o t o : M a r k + L u nd
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Upscale Vietnamese restaurants seem to be popping up in urban centers
across the United States. Perhaps this trend is a result of recent steps
toward reconciliation between the two coutries, after decades of confused
animosity. Or perhaps it is simply because Americans are just plain sick of
moo shu, sushi, and Pad Thai.
In any case, food from our friends in Southeast Asia is relatively easy to prepare at home, despite the fact that it's usually presented in an alarmingly ornate fashion at most restaurants. And Vietnamese dishes are perfect for warm weather - fresh mint, carrots, and limes are key ingredients that result in a light harmony of tangy and sweet. | ||
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My favorite Vietnamese dish is fresh spring rolls, or goi cuon. You can make them up to one day in advance, and they taste wonderful. Spring rolls work well as an impressive side dish or appetizer to steamed jasmine rice and a simple stir-fry of garlic, shrimp, long beans, and soy sauce. The first time I made spring rolls was on a recent early spring day at friends' house in Berkeley, California. I quickly became obsessed with rolling them, as there was something at once soothing and challenging in my quest for the perfect roll. If the zen of rolling the spring rolls is too intense of an experience, I suggest that you accompany this task with frequent breaks on the porch and a cold beer. |
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First, prepare the dipping sauce for the rolls, which is a delicious peanut sauce called nuoc leo. Grind the roasted peanuts in a coffee grinder or food processor, or finely chop them. Next, heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan and add the garlic. Stir until the garlic browns - less than one minute. Add chili paste and tomato paste, then the chicken broth, sugar, Hosin sauce, chopped chili, and peanut butter. Use natural peanut butter, not Skippy or Jif. Whisk briefly to break up the peanut butter, and let the sauce simmer for about three minutes. Set the sauce aside to cool. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top of the sauce and serve it hot or at room temperature in little bowls dispersed around the table. | |
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To make the rolls, first prepare the shrimp by boiling them for two to four minutes (depending on size), until pink and opaque. Set them aside in some cold water. You also want to boil some thin vermicelli for a few minutes. You won't need a lot for the rolls, but the thin, white noodles can also stand on their own as a simple side dish. Drizzle fresh lime juice over the vermicelli and garnish with grated carrot as a companion to the spring rolls. You're going to need to have all the ingredients for the spring rolls ready and accessible at your rolling station. Shread the carrot; cut off the stems of the lettuce leaves; de-stem the mint leaves; chop the chives; separate the mushrooms into little bunches; and place all these ingredients, plus the bean sprouts and peanuts, in individual bowls. When the shrimp have cooled, peel and de-vein them, and then slice them in halves lengthwise. Let the vermicelli sit until cold and squeeze half a lime over them to add a tangy flavor. Place a pan of warm water nearby to dip the rice paper in, and make sure you have a clean, flat surface for rolling. The rice paper is thin, and tears easily, but is also suprisingly elastic once you dip it in water. Cold water will not do; it must be warm. Once you have all the ingredients washed, chopped, and prepared as outlined above, you are ready to assemble the spring rolls. Immerse a sheet of rice paper into the warm water and let it soften for about five seconds, then place it at the center of your workstation. Lay a leaf of lettuce flat on the bottom third of the circular rice paper. On top of the lettuce, assemble a bit of noodles, some bean sprouts, shredded carrot, a few mushrooms, and several leaves of mint. Roll the paper tightly from the bottom about halfway, until these ingredients are enveloped in the roll. Fold the two open sides toward the center of the roll, and place a few halves of shrimp, chives, and peanuts on the remaining unrolled half of the paper. Continue rolling tightly until you have a sealed cylinder. Place the finished roll on a plate and cover with a damp cloth. | |||
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Eat the first few rolled attempts yourself, because it takes some practice to get a nice, tight roll without any rips or ingredients bulging out. Don't get discouraged! Experiment with the amount of ingredients you use - too much filling will cause a strain on the paper. Also, pay attention to how long you soak the rice paper in the warm water - too little, and the paper will be brittle; too long, and the paper will be soggy. Once you have made the number of rolls you need (you can make as many as 12 with these ingredients), you can cut them in half to show off the perfect rolling technique inside. Or, if you are a bit insecure, just leave them uncut in a neat pile on serving plates. In any case, garnish the serving plates with a few sprigs of mint for color. Serve the spring rolls with a crisp Chardonnay on your porch at dusk. | |
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Peanut Sauce - Nuoc Leo
Spring Rolls - Goi Cuon
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Rebecca Vesely is the Washington correspondent for Wired News. She looks good in a Star Trek uniform.
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Email Fillet.
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