Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls And Dipping Sauces

While traveling across Vietnam, there were exactly 2 dishes I almost ate every day. One was Pho and the other one were Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls. I ate them everywhere to every day time, I guess I got addicted.

Can Tho

Rice noodles/ paper

Both dishes are extremely light and delicious and fast to get. The only thing I struggled with was the coriander. Every time I told the restaurants and street food stalls that I did not want coriander, they either did not understand so left it in or they took out ALL greens and most vegetables!! I mean why would you do that? What is left then? I can tell you what:
One day I got a roll with only rice noodles and carrots in there! Being polite, I did not say anything, thanked them and ate the  plane rolls. Anyways, It was better than having coriander in the rolls, coriander has the worst taste on earth for me.

Now, back in Europe, I am in charge of my own Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls. And I love making them as much as I love eating them – of course without coriander!

Dipping Sauce

The most important or fundamental thing about those Rolls is the sauce. My favorite sauce is called Nuoc cham. Another lovely dipping sauce is a Peanut butter dipping sauce.

Nuoc cham Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 clove Garlic
• Red pepper
• 1 spring onion
• 10-15 gram brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• A quater of a Lime (juice)
• 2 tablespoon Water

Chop and mix!

Peanut Dipping Sauce

• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large), minced
• chillis chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoon warm water
• Optional: 1 tbsp sriracha sauce,

Once the sauce is made, you can start preparing your favorite rolls. I made a collection of my two favorite combinations.

Steps – Making Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

• Step 1
  

  Place 1 rice paper round in a medium bowl of lukewarm water for 15 seconds or until just soft. Place on your plate/board.

• Step 2
  

  Arrange the mixture along the centre of rice paper round. Fold ends in and roll up firmly to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining rice paper rounds and filling.

Every serving has approximately something between 70kcals and 100kcal.

Variation 1

• rice vermicelli noodles
• fresh mint leaves
• Basil/Thai sweet basil
• Unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• Carrot, coarsely grated
• cucumber, deseeded and cut into short, fine matchsticks
• Bean sprouts

Options to add:

• lettuce with soft leaves, like Spinach or Butter Lettuce

Tip: Roll the noodles in the lettuce leave and place it on  the rice paper round (looks nicer)

Variation 2

• Carrot, slices
• Cucumber slices
• Spring onions
• small handful of baby spinach, gently bunched up and sliced thinly
• Baked Soy Sauce Tofu**,  chilled and cut into thin strips
• sesame seeds
• Optional: Avocado, peeled, cut into strips

** Crispy Soy Sauce Tofu

• Tofu, drained and thoroughly dried/pressed
• Sesame oil
• Cornstarch
• Agave syrup

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