Summer rolls
These Vietnamese-style summer rolls are full of flavour and served with two delicious dipping sauces. Rice paper wrappers are a wonderful thing to have in the cupboard – they can take a fridge-raid dinner to another level, and they’re naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 100g/3½oz vermicelli rice noodles (2 nests)
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú frozen edamame (soya beans), defrosted
- 1 carrot
- 12 rice paper wrappers, 22cm/8½in diameter
- 300g/10½oz cooked, peeled king prawns
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú radishes, finely sliced
- 1 bunch (30g/1oz) mint, leaves only
- 1 bunch (30g/1oz) coriander, leaves only
For the garlic dipping sauce
- 4cm/1½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lime, juice only
- 2 tbsp palm sugar, finely grated (or light brown sugar)
- 3 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam nhi)
- 1 green bird’s-eye chilli, finely sliced
For the peanut dipping sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tsp maple syrup
Method
To make the garlic dipping sauce, pound the garlic and ginger together in a pestle and mortar to make a rough paste. Add the lime juice and ‘muddle’, mashing it with the pestle. Add the palm sugar and muddle for a minute until most of the sugar has dissolved. Add the fish sauce and muddle again. Add the chilli and stir to combine. Transfer to a small shallow bowl and set aside.
To make the peanut dipping sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium–high heat. Add the shallot and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and just starting to brown. Remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine, then set aside in a small shallow bowl.
Cook the rice vermicelli and the edamame beans according to the packet instructions. Rinse under running cold water until cooled completely, drain and set aside.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel ribbons down the length of the carrot. Gather these together and very roughly chop them so you have thin, mismatched strips of carrot.
Fill a deep roasting tray or container that’s large enough to hold the rice paper wrappers with 2–3cm/1in cold water. Dampen a clean work surface with a little water.
To assemble the rolls: one at a time, submerge the rice paper wrappers in the cold water for a couple of seconds, then place on the damp work surface. Place a pinch of rice vermicelli just below the centre of the rice paper. Add 3–4 prawns and top with some carrot, radish, mint, coriander and edamame. Fold the sides of the rice paper in to the centre, then bring the side closest to you up and over the filling. Roll forward while pulling back to create a little tension in the roll and roll up until it is completely sealed. Put on a serving plate and repeat until you’ve used all the rice paper. Serve immediately, alongside the two dipping sauces.
Recipe Tips
For a vegan version, omit the prawns and swap Vietnamese fish sauce for tamari.
If you have any filling ingredients left, mix them all together with any remaining garlic dipping sauce and serve with extra vermicelli for a fragrant, punchy salad.