Vietnamese Summer Rolls

We’re back from an amazing vacation to Asia and finally, a week later I’m over the jet lag! Stops in Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong proved every bit the adventure that I had hoped for. There were many facets to the trip, but of course food was at the top of my list. This southern boy has always loved Asian food, but after visiting this part of the world, I have a renewed  appreciation for Thai and Vietnamese cuisine.

I particularly loved experiencing the street markets where fruits and vegetables abound. We visited the Vietnamese town of Hoi An, an authentic and popular tourist stop.  The market in Hoi An was one of the most extensive ones that we visited.

I had great fun trying fruits that we don’t see around in my neck of the woods.

While in Hoi An, we attended a Vietnamese cooking demonstration at a local restaurant. Pictured above are Jim, the chef, and me. During the demonstration, the chef prepared summer rolls, a traditional Vietnamese food made with shrimp, pork, vermicelli rice noodles, and Vietnamese herbs rolled in rice paper. I’ve recreated the summer rolls for today’s post. You’ll need to visit an Asian market to find some of the ingredients for this dish. This is a list of items you’ll need that you won’t find in regular supermarkets:

• Rice papers
• Fish sauce
• Sriracha chili sauce
• Chinese Five Spice
• Thai basil
• Vermicelli rice noodles

The Vietnamese use a variety of herbs for this dish and others. Frequently used herbs include Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, and Chinese coriander. Some of the herbs are more available than others. If you can’t find these herbs in an Asian market, you can use mint, cilantro, and a green leaf lettuce. I particularly like the flavor of Thai basil and I find it more readily available than some of the others.

A sheet of rice paper is approximately 8 1/2 inches in diameter. As you can see from the photograph above, the rice paper has a pattern on it and before wetting it feels almost like plastic. Handle these sheets with care as they will break easily.

Rice paper will be very sticky when it’s wet. I found that a silicone mat worked well for preparing the rolls. To prepare the rice paper you’ll need a small bowl of warm water and paper towel. Wet the paper towel and rub over one side of the paper. Carefully turn the paper over and wet the other side. Repeat this process until the paper is soft and pliable. You’ll know that the paper is ready for rolling when it becomes almost clear and the pattern has disappeared.

To prepare the rolls, place a small handful of the herbs on the side of the paper closest to you. Top the herbs with bean sprouts and vermicelli noodles. Place two slices of pork in front of the herbs and then place sliced shrimp, cut side up, in front of the pork.

Carefully lift the side of the rice paper closest to you and begin rolling the paper away from you. The wet paper will tear very easily, so use care when rolling.

As seen in the photo above, fold the sides of the paper inward and place chives over the shrimp before completing the roll. These rolls and dipping sauce are absolutely delicious and a great appetizer for the summer season. Vietnamese food is incredibly flavorful and very healthy. If you’re trying to lighten your diet, I would highly recommend trying some Vietnamese recipes.

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Bill Harris

I grew up in small town Mississippi eating traditional southern fare.A lifelong foodie, I started cooking and experimenting with food at a very young age. I started Southern Boy Dishes as a creative outlet and a way to share my love of food.

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