Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Shrimp or Tuna

Vietnamese spring rolls are a delicious and fresh dish that you can easily prepare. The spring rolls are made with soaked rice paper that is filled with a combination of flavorful ingredients with different textures such as crunchy vegetables and herbs as well as either juicy shrimp or flavorful tuna wrapped in thin rice paper. The spring rolls are ideal as a light lunch, a starter or as a tapas. The spring rolls are dipped in an aromatic sauce (Jenny Walden's recipe for dipping sauce. She is a Swedish chef and cookbook author).

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You will need

Shrimp or Tuna Mixture:

4.2 oz peeled shrimp or 1 can of tuna (4.2 oz drained weight)

2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion

1 tsp olive or canola oil

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp homemade or Hellman’s mayonnaise

½ tsp roasted sesame oil

Black pepper

½ tbsp soy sauce or to taste

1.4 oz glass noodles (or jasmine rice)

1 – 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce

1 ½ medium carrot, shredded

½ cucumber, shredded

1 cup sprouts, any kind

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

½ tomato, seeded and shredded

1 avocado, cut into thin slices

15 Thai basil leaves

15 mint leaves

15 coriander leaves

4–5 rice paper sheets (about 8.3–8.7 inches in diameter)

Dipping sauce

0.8 cup golden syrup

0.2-0.3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 ½ tbsp fish sauce

1 ½ tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

4 large garlic cloves, finely grated

1 – 3 tbsp finely chopped red chili (amount depending on taste and strength)

0.3 cup chopped coriander

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How to make it

Start by making the dipping sauce

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and put in the fridge.

0.8 cup golden syrup

0.2-0.3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 ½ tbsp fish sauce

1 ½ tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

4 large garlic cloves, finely grated

1 – 3 tbsp finely chopped red chili (amount depending on taste and strength)

0.3 cup chopped coriander

2. Cook the glass noodles according to the instructions on the package. Mix the noodles with sweet chili sauce to taste. Cut the noodles so they are easier to handle.

1.4 oz glass noodles (or jasmine rice)

1 – 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce

3. Boil water in a pot: When the water boils, add 1 tsp salt per liter of water. Blanch the finely shredded carrots for 45 seconds until they have softened slightly but are still firm in texture. Take them out of the water with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl with ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. When they have cooled, put them on a paper towel to remove all water. Then blanch the shredded cucumber in the same way for 45 seconds.

1 ½ medium carrot, shredded

½ cucumber, shredded

4. Mix chopped shrimp or tuna in a bowl and mix with onion, oyster sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, mayonnaise, and black pepper. Mix well. Taste and add soy sauce to taste.

4.2 oz peeled shrimp or 1 can of tuna (4.2 oz drained weight)

2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion

1 tsp olive or canola oil

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp homemade or Hellman’s mayonnaise

½ tsp roasted sesame oil

Black pepper

½ tbsp soy sauce or to taste

5. Rinse and dry the sprouts. Shred the iceberg lettuce. Seed the tomato and shred it. Peel and slice the avocado thinly. Rinse the herbs and dry them and remove the leaves from the stems. Put all ingredients separately on plates or in small bowls.

1 cup sprouts, any kind

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

½ tomato, seeded and shredded

1 avocado, cut into thin slices

15 Thai basil leaves

15 mint leaves

15 coriander leaves

6. Pour hot water into a wide bowl/plate and dip the rice papers in the water for a few seconds. They do not need to be completely soft as they will continue to soften during assembly.

4–5 rice paper sheets (about 8.3–8.7 inches in diameter)

7. Complete one spring roll at a time. Put the rice paper on a clean surface that is damp, such as a large cutting board. Put a string of tuna or shrimp mixture just to the left of the centerline on the rice paper in a 4-inch-long string.

8. Put rice noodles or rice, sprouts, salad, carrot, cucumber, tomato, and avocado on top of the shrimp or tuna mixture. Use only a little of each ingredient and distribute evenly over the shrimp or tuna mixture.

9. Put a few leaves of basil, mint, and coriander upside down about 0.4-0.8 inches beside the rest of the filling. Fold the short side of the spring roll over the filling and then roll it up as tightly as possible towards the basil, mint, and coriander leaves. Cover the spring rolls with a damp kitchen cloth.

15 Thai basil leaves

10 mint leaves (can be omitted)

15 coriander leaves

10. Serve the spring rolls whole or cut in half with the dipping sauce.

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