How to make fresh salad rolls?
Gỏi cuốn or Fresh Salad Rolls is one of the most iconic Vietnamese dishes - and for good reason! Ingredients can vary in this versatile dish, but an abundance of fresh herbs, a flavourful dipping sauce and authentic Vietnamese rice paper are the real key to making amazing salad rolls. Healthy, light, interactive and perfect for a park hang, gỏi cuốn is also a favourite meal for little humans.
Cook along with Anh and Chi's sister and co-owner, Amelie Nguyen, at 8:40am PST on Friday April 9th as she joins CTV Morning Live in a Cook-Off with celebrity hosts, sharing our inside tips to making Vietnamese fresh rolls.
Here is a recipe fun for home: ingredients that you can pick up at your local ethnic grocery store or as a complete set, sauce and everything in a DIY Meal Kit from Anh and Chi. Have fun with it!
Fresh Prawn Salad Rolls Recipe
Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
- 600g frozen cooked prawns
- 1 pack rice paper
- 1 pack rice vermicelli noodles
- 1 green lettuce head
- 1 cucumber
- 350g bean spouts
- 1 bird's eye chilli (optional)
- 200g pickled carrots and daikon (optional)
- handful of Vietnamese herbs (mint, perilla, basil)
- 8oz Anh and Chi’s Mẹ’s Artisan Peanut Sauce
STEP 1: Pre-boil
In a large pot, bring 2-3L of water to a boil (for noodles). In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 L of water to a boil (for prawns). While waiting, continue onto step 2.
STEP 2: Prep veggies
Wash and dry lettuce, bean sprouts, Asian herbs: wash and julienne cucumber. Serve vegetables and Anh and Chi’s pickled carrots & daikon on a communal platter and set aside.
STEP 3: Cook noodles
Add vermicelli to boiling water (step 1) and cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and let noodles sit in the pot of water for 10 minutes, strain, rinse with cold water, and serve in a sharing bowl or plate and set aside.
STEP 4: Blanch prawns
Quickly blanch prawns in boiling water (step 1) for about 30 seconds. Remove and SLICE each prawn cross-sectionally LENGTHWISE. Plate and set aside.
STEP 5: Pack and roll
In a large bowl of hot water, hydrate the rice paper by quickly rotating all sides of a rice paper in the water then laying it down flat on a plate or cutting board. Add whichever ingredients you like, less is more in this case. Holding the end of the rice paper closest to you, fold it over ingredients, and continue to roll TIGHTLY away from you (while using your fingers to keep the contents inside your roll!)
STEP 6: Get saucy!
Warm, shake and pour Mẹ’s Artisan Peanut Sauce into ramekins and top with roasted peanuts and finely chopped bird’s eye chilli (optional).
Gather around the table to roll, dip and devour. Check out our IGTV @anhandchi for a video demonstration.
In case you haven’t gotten your hands on Anh and Chi sauces yet (shop online for in-store pick up or delivery by Legends Haul) here is a simple version of the sauce you can make at home:
Dipping sauce recipe:
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30ml vegetable oil
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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300ml Hoisin sauce
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15ml water
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Roasted peanuts, crushed
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Bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped (optional)
In a saucepan on medium-high heat, combine oil and minced garlic. Stir occasionally until garlic is slightly golden brown. Slowly add hoisin sauce and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and transfer to a ramekin or small bowl. Garnish with chilli and peanuts if desired.
