SPRING ROLLS

1/2 pound cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, halved lengthwise
20 sprigs fresh cilantro
20 sprigs fresh mint (optional)
2 cups bean sprouts
1 head romaine lettuce, soft parts of leaves only
1 cup cooked thin rice noodles (optional)
20 rice paper wrappers (see note)
Hoisin dipping sauce (recipe follows) or fish-sauce based dipping sauce

Bring a kettle of water to a boil over high heat.

Place a glass baking dish on a trivet. Put a plate or platter topped with a damp paper towel directly in front of you. Next to the plate, place a bowl containing the shrimp, a bowl containing the cilantro, a bowl containing the mint, a bowl containing the bean sprouts, a bowl containing the lettuce and a bowl containing the rice noodles. Cover a second plate with a few layers of dampened paper towels.

Pour the boiling water into the glass baking dish. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the hot water for just a few seconds, hanging on to a tiny corner of the wrapper, until it is completely wet and becoming pliable. Lay the dampened rice paper flat on the plate in front of you.

Starting in the middle of the right third of the rice paper, put 2 to 4 shrimp halves in a vertical line, arranging the shrimp cut-sides up. Put a cilantro sprig and a mint sprig on the shrimp, then about 1 1/2 tablespoons of bean sprouts, then about a 3-inch piece of lettuce. Top with a few rice noodles. Fold the right side of the rice paper over the lettuce. Fold the bottom of the rice paper up and the top side down. Roll the rice paper over toward the left, trying to keep it tight as you roll, enclosing the filling completely. Transfer to the second plate. Repeat until you've wrapped all 20 rolls.

Serve with a hoisin- or fish-sauce-based dipping sauce.

Note: Rice paper wrappers are available at Asian markets.

HOISIN SPRING ROLL DIPPING SAUCE
Yield: 1 cup

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Combine water, coconut milk and hoisin sauce in a saucepan, whisking to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Yield: 8 to 10 appetizer servings
Adapted from source: Introduction To Asian Cooking by Kristin Enkvetchakul