Back to Basics: Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are a lesson
in Asian cooking

By Joan Drake / Los Angeles Times Syndicate
The Vietnamese use edible rice paper (banh trang) as the wrapping for their traditional spring rolls.

In the preparation of fresh rolls, the paper is simply softened and wrapped around cooked shrimp
and pork, fresh vegetables and herbs.

For crisp versions, the rolls are deep-fried.

Rice paper is made from rice, salt and water. It's dried in the sun on bamboo mats, producing a
distinctive crosshatch pattern on the resulting thin, brittle wrappers.

Fresh Spring Rolls

2 ounces cellophane noodles (bean threads)

8 to 12 medium raw shrimp in shells

12 ounces fresh bacon (pork belly) or boneless pork loin, in 1 piece, cooked and cubed

1 large carrot, shredded

1 teaspoon sugar

8 (812-inch diameter) rounds edible rice paper (banh trang)

4 large red leaf lettuce leaves

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

1/4 cup mint leaves

16 chive sprigs, trimmed to 5-inch lengths

16 to 24 cilantro leaves

Nuoc cham (fish sauce, see Note) or hoisin sauce

Finely chopped roasted peanuts

Soak noodles in warm water 20 minutes. Drain and cut into 1-inch lengths.

Boil shrimp 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Shell, devein and cut in half lengthwise.

Cook fresh bacon in boiling salted water 20 minutes.

Rinse under cold water. Slice into thin strips.

Combine carrot and sugar in bowl. Set aside 10 minutes.

Moisten 2 rounds rice paper at a time by spritzing with warm water and rubbing with hand.

Allow to stand on flat surface until softened.

Remove stem ends from lettuce leaves and cut each in half. Place 1 half over bottom third of each
rice paper.

Top with 1 tablespoon noodles, 1 tablespoon carrot, few pieces bacon, few bean sprouts and
several mint leaves.

Roll up paper halfway into cylinder. Fold sides of paper inward. Place 2 to 3 shrimp halves, cut side
down, along crease.

Tuck 2 chive sprigs under shrimp, leaving about 1 inch extending out side. Place 2 to 3 cilantro
leaves next to shrimp.

Continue to roll paper into cylinder. Place on plate covered with damp towel, while filling remaining
wrappers.

Cut each roll into quarters and serve with nuoc cham or hoisin sauce, sprinkled with peanuts. Makes
4 servings.

Note: To prepare nuoc cham, puree 2 cloves garlic, 1 red chile (seeded) and 1 tablespoon sugar in
food processor or blender. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/4 cup fish sauce (nuoc mam) and 1/4
cup rice vinegar, blending well.

Per serving: 427 calories; 20.5 g fat (6.7 g saturated fat; 43 percent calories from fat); 70 mg
cholesterol; 1,094 mg sodium.