Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Joe's Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked shrimp (or lobster or crab meat)
1/4 pound leftover shredded pork (or leftover roast chicken)
Cellophane noodles (bean thread noodles)
1 T. seasoned rice vinegar
Red or Boston lettuce leaves, leaves separated, rinsed and dried
Fresh mint leaves, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
Fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
Fresh cilantro leaves, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
1 package broccoli slaw (or shredded carrots, cabbage and broccoli)
Spring roll wrappers (rice paper rounds), 8 1/2 inches in diameter (Asian grocery store)

Dressing:

2 T. fish sauce
1 T. ginger paste
1 T. rice vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. plum sauce
Hot pepper flakes or chopped hot chilies (optional)

Directions:

Slice shrimp in half lengthwise.

Soak noodles 30 minutes in hot water then plunge into boiling water for 30-45 seconds, drain, rinse and toss with rice vinegar. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fill a pie plate with lukewarm water. Immerse rice paper in warm water for a few seconds to soften them up just until soft but still flexible. Remove from water and place rice paper on a kitchen towel and let rest approximately 30 seconds until it's more pliable.

Arrange one piece of lettuce on bottom half of soaked rice paper, leaving a 1-inch border along edge. Top with some of the pork, noodles, mint, basil, cilantro, and broccoli slaw. Add a squirt of dressing.

Making sure the ingredients are not clumped together in the center, but evenly distributed from one end to the other, press down on the filling with your fingers (this tightens the roll), fold the bottom end of the sheet (side nearest you) over the top fo the fillings and rollinto a cylindrical shape half way. Fold the left and right sides inward, add 4 shrimp halves and complete rolling the remaining half. Transfer roll to a plate, seam-side down, and cover with dampened paper towels. Make additional rolls in the same manner.

Makes 8-12 spring rolls (which can be cut in half before serving with Spicy Peanut Sauce)

*Can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator a day or so covered with a damp cloth.

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