These crunchy, flavoursome yet light rice paper rolls are delicious and easy to assemble.
SERVES 4
50g fine rice noodles
Bunch of fresh holy basil, leaves only
Bunch of fresh mint, leaves only
Small bunch of fresh coriander, leaves only
Handful of long chives
1 little gem lettuce, finely shredded
3 medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded into matchsticks
12 medium cooked prawns, peeled and halved lengthways
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced into fine matchsticks
3 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways
2 fresh red chillies, seeded and sliced
50g bean sprouts
12 rice paper wrappers
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
Juice of 1 lime
15ml fish sauce
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp chilli sauce
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
- Soak the noodles in boiling water for 15 mins, or according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients and putting them in a dipping bowl.
- Prepare all the other ingredients, apart from the wrappers – once you start making the rolls you will need everything ready and to hand.
- Fill a large bowl with a little warm water. Softening and then filling just one at a time, dip a rice paper wrapper in the water for about 10 seconds, until pliable and softened around the edges. Place on a board and immediately lay a few of each of the fresh herb leaves and a couple of long chives along the centre of the wrapper. Top with some of the lettuce, noodles and carrots, three of the prawns, and then the cucumber, spring onion, chillies and bean sprouts. Try to ensure that the ingredients all go the same way and leave a rim of about 5cm around the filling mound.
- Roll one edge inwards to cover the filling and then tightly roll up the wrapper to form a cigar shape.
- Lay the finished roll on a tray seam side down so it binds and repeat with the remaining wrappers. Serve the rolls immediately with the dipping sauce.
The Fakeaway Manual by Fergal Connolly, published by J H Haynes & Co Ltd.