Don't be scared as these Vietnamese inspired rice paper rolls are super easy. The trick to success is to get everything ready before you start rollin. Barilla, Samphire and Native Mint make great ingredients to add to your usual line up of veggies and greens.
INGREDIENTS
80g rice vermicelli noodles
1 cup (50g) Barilla (or baby spinach) 1/2 cup (40g) Samphire
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 lebanese (small) cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1/4 iceberg lettuce, shredded
large handful of basil
large handful of coriander leaves handful of Native Mint leaves
1 cup (80g) bean sprouts
10 desert limes, halved (or grated zest and cubed flesh of 1 small Lime)
1/2 cup (70g) roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
24x22cm rice paper rounds
DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup (125ml) coconut water 1/4 cup (60ml) light soy sauce 1/4 cup (55g) white sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or coconut vinegar
2 finger limes, halved and pearls extracted (or 1 Lime, peeled and cut into 5mm dice)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 small red chillies, finely chopped (and seeded if you are a chilli fairy).
METHOD
For the dipping sauce, place all the ingredients into a bowl and stir until well combined, Set aside in the fridge.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles accordingly to the packet instructions, Drain and rinse under cold water.
Place the Barilla (or baby spinach), Samphire, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, herbs, bean sprouts and lime into a large bowl and toss to combine. Place the peanuts into a separate bowl.
Soak a rice paper round in a bowl of lukewarm water for 15 seconds or until softened, then place on a tea towel. Arrange some of the filling along the middle of the round and sprinkle with peanuts. Fold in the ends and roll up tightly to enclose. Repeat with the remaining rounds, filling and peanuts.
Serve the rice paper rolls with the dipping sauce.
Recipe by: Simon Bryant