take 2 - authentic vietnamese rice paper spring rolls (goi cuon)

aug 4, 2023 (fri).............make 2nd attempt

benchmark video

i) you tuber chubby whale : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG0jfpXUU4s

ii) you tuber c.hercreations : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie-dMT2FZb8&t=357s

introduction

- rice paper spring/ summer roll is a signature appetizer in vietnam cuisine

- in order to get a much authentic way of cooking..............watched quite a number of video taken by vietnamese or vietnam heritage

- there are 2 very commonly paired dipping sauce to go with rice paper spring rolls

- ingredients used are very flexible and twist it to vegan/ vegetarian choice............what i used in this attempt reflects the most typical ingredients in a spring roll

main ingredients

- rice vermicelli

- butter/ round lettuce

- rice paper

- pork (optional, personal not my cup of tea coz flavor not so harmonize with rest of ingredient)

- shrimp (better with shell)

- cucumber

- carrot

- thai basil/ mint/ cilantro/ culantro/ other preferred fresh herbs

- chives

- garlic

- lemongrass

- salt

dipping sauce 1 - hoisin & peanut/ ingredients

- 5 tablespoon hoisin sauce (replaced by sweet fermented soy bean sauce coz available)

- 2 tablespoon peanut butter

- 1/2 tablespoon sugar

- 1/2 tablespoon chilli sauce

- 1/2 tablespoon vinegar/ lime juice

- 175ml shrimp stock/ water

- 2 gloves garlic

- 1 medium shallot

- toasted peanut

- pickled carrot, radish, chilli, fried shallot (optional)

dipping sauce 1/ steps :

1) pan fry diced garlic and shallot until fragrant

2) add shrimp stock/ water

3) add hoisin sauce and peanut butter (if you need thicker sauce, add more peanut butter)

4) all dissolved and mix well 

5) crush some toasted peanut

6) last topped crushed peanut onto sauce

dipping sauce 2 - garlic fish sauce/ ingredients

- 5 tablespoon sugar (replaced by coconut sugar coz available)

- 3 tablespoon lime juice (i mix a little bit of rice vinegar coz available)

- 4 tablespoon fish sauce <-- depends on concentration of your fish sauce

- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

- 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped bird's eye chili (replaced by chili flakes coz available)

- 6 tablespoon hot water

- shredded carrots (optional)

dipping sauce 2/ steps :

1) diced shallot and garlic (can be minced)

2) add diced red chili/ instant chili flakes

3) add fish sauce, lime juice/ white vinegar, hot water

4) mixed well

5) add shredded carrots (optional)..............done

steps

1. wash cucumber and remove seeds (reduce water content)

2. wash round lettuce, either cut or break crunchy stem

3. wash and drain all veggie and herbs

4. poached shrimp in boiling water until it turned orangish and white (dun overcook)

5. put them into ice water immediately (stop heat from continual cooking)

6. drain shrimp

7. cut shrimp into halves, thinly sliced carrot and cucumber

8. cooked rice vermicelli according to your package instruction (just dun get too soft)

9. rinse with cold water to cool down and wash away some starch (make it less sticky)

10. drain rice vermicelli

11. plate of lukewarm water

12. dip rice paper into warm water quick (few seconds will be good coz too much water will make rice paper later turned too filmsy and sticky)

13. place the tough side of rice paper up (ie smooth side facing wooden board)

14. start lettuce at bottom, add up with rice vermicelli, carrots, cucumber...............the portion of each is totally your own preference

15. add fresh herbs..........also entirely personal to put what herbs and how much

16. start rolling up the rice paper.............after 1 fold, add shrimps with orangish color facing down

17. continue roll up............after 2nd fold, fold 1 end, add few chives.............continue the roll and close the other end

18. done

taste

-this attempt i pair with garlic fish sauce which i personally prefer it over hoisin sauce

-the spring rolls itself taste plain coz no/ not much seasoning at all

-taste mainly comes from the sauce..............fish sauce gives tangy, refreshing flavor............which would be a good choice for summer

-playful experience.............especially doing with kids

areas of improvement

-i am very satisfied with this attempt

shrimp stock cooking steps (optional) :

1. put in a bunch of shrimp shell (i save up all the scrapped but clean shell from previous cooking and freeze them for later use) in boiling water

2. cooking for about 10 mins

3. drain it

4. done

pork cooking steps (optional) :

1. use kitchen paper to absorb all excess water content

2. bash lemongrass by cleaver............cut into big trunks

3. bash whole glove garlic by cleaver

4. add a teaspoon of salt into boiling water.............then add pork loin, garlic and lemongrass.........base on my thick loin this time................i cook it for 20 mins and leave it simmer for another 10 mins

5. drain pork loin

6. thinly slice pork