Rice Paper-Wrapped Salad Rolls (Pham)

* Exported from MasterCook Buster *

Rice Paper-Wrapped Salad Rolls (Pham)

Recipe By : Mai Pham's The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :
Categories : Salads Thai

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 pound pork shoulder
12 medium raw shrimp with shells
8 round (12-inch) rice papers -- plus spares
1 small head red leaf lettuce -- leaves separated
and washed
1/4 pound rice vermicelli -- cooked
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup hoisin-peanut sauce
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts -- for garnish
2 tablespoons ground chile paste -- for garnish

ook rice vermicelli in boiling water four to five minutes; rinse and drain.

1. Cook the pork in boiling salted water until just tender, about 30
minutes. Set aside to cool and then slice into 1 x 2-1/2-inch pieces. Cook
the shrimp in boiling salted water until just done, about three minutes.
Shell, devein, and cut in half lengthwise. Refresh in cold water and set
aside.

2. Just before making the rolls, set up a salad roll "station." Fill in a
large mixing bowl with hot water. If necessary, keep some boiling water
handy to add to the bowl if the temperature drops below 110 degrees. Choose
an open area on the counter and arrange the following items in the order
used: the rice paper, the hot water, a damp cheesecloth and a platter
holding all the stuffing ingredients.

3. Working only with two rice paper sheets at a time, dip one sheet, edge
first, in the hot water and turn it to wet completely, about 10 seconds.
Lay the sheet down on the cheesecloth and stretch the sheet slightly to
remove any wrinkles. Wet the other rice paper the same way and place it
alongside the first.

4. Line the bottom third of the wet pliable rice sheet with three shrimp
halves, cut side up, and top with two slices of pork. Make sure the
ingredients are neatly placed in a straight row. Fold a piece of lettuce
into a thin rectangle about five inches long and place it on top. (You may
need o use only half of a leaf.) Next, top with about one tablespoon of
vermicelli, one tablespoon bean sprouts, and four to five mint leaves. Make
sure the ingredients are not clumped together in the center, but evenly
distributed from one end to the other. Using your second, third and fourth
fingers, press down on the ingredients while you use the other hand to fold
over both sides of the rice paper. (Pressing down on the ingredients is
particularly important because it tightens the roll.) With fingers still
pressing down, use two thumbs to fold the bottom edge over the filling and
roll into a cylinder about an inch and a half wide by five inches long.
Finish making all the remaining rolls.

5. To serve, cut the rolls into two or four equal pieces and place the cut
rolls upright on an appetizer plate. Serve with hoisin-peanut sauce or
Vietnamese dipping sauce on the side. Top sauce of choice with chopped
peanuts and chili paste. If you like, garnish the rolls with mint or
cilantro sprigs.

6. These rolls can be made a couple hours in advance and stored at room
temperature in an airtight container lined with damp cheesecloth. Do not
refrigerate salad rolls, as the rice paper will toughen.

From Mai Pham's The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking. Copyright 1996,
Mai Pham.


Notes: No single dish better represents the delicateness of Vietnamese
cuisine than this one. Traditionally filled with juicy shrimp and pork,
they can also be stuffed with grilled chicken, salmon, or just about
anything, such as leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.

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