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Recipe: Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Cucumber Salad

These spring rolls are fantastic for a light lunch or dinner, accompanied by the cucumber salad.
Lynne Chinn
Spring rolls, Plano Profile

These spring rolls are fantastic for a light lunch or dinner, accompanied by the cucumber salad. The flavors are bright and fresh, perfect for a hot summer day!

The spring roll wrappers and the sauces can be purchased in most Asian and gourmet markets.

IINGREDIENTS

CUCUMBER SALAD:

  • 1 (10-inch) cucumber (preferably English)
  • 1⁄2 small red onion
  • 1/3 red bell pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. rice or white wine vinegar
  • 1⁄2 tsp salt
  • fresh cilantro leaves

SPRING ROLLS:

  • 4 spring roll wrappers
  • 12 steamed large shrimp, peeled/deveined/cut in
  • half lengthwise
  • 1 cup cooked cellophane noodles or 1 cup cooked
  • sushi rice
  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 3 green onions (cleaned, quartered lengthwise,
  • then cut in 2-inch lengths)
  • 16 each fresh cilantro, basil, & mint leaves
  • 1 head butter lettuce (washed, leaves separated, moisture dried off)
  • peanut dipping sauce
  • soy sauce or Asian hot sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To make the salad, wash and dry the cucumber, then peel and seed. Cut in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Slice the quarters into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Thinly julienne the red onion and bell pepper. Place everything in a bowl.
  2. Whisk together the sugar, vinegar, and salt, until well mixed. Distribute dressing evenly over the vegetables, stir, then top generous with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve in small bowls with the spring rolls.
  3. To prepare the spring rolls, first line a large platter with a bed of Boston lettuce leaves. Moisten one spring roll wrapper with water. Lay it flat on a plate or cutting board to allow water to absorb (a minute or less). Wrapper will appear translucent. Lift off excess water with paper towel.
  4. Place 6 halves of shrimp in a row in the middle of the wrapper. Building on top of the shrimp, layer one-quarter of the noodles (lengthwise), bean sprouts, onions, cilantro, basil, and mint leaves. Tucking in one end, tightly roll up all the ingredients. Repeat process with remaining 3 wrappers.
  5. Lay finished rolls shrimp side up on the bed of lettuce. Serve with a bowl of peanut sauce, soy sauce and/or the hot sauce for dipping. Makes 4 large rolls, meant to be eaten with your hands. (Note: Rolls can also be cut in half, rolled in a lettuce leaf, dipped in sauce, and eaten.)