This is a fresher and healthier version of the popular finger food that is perfect for cocktail party or as appetiser before dinner party, or even a picnic. You can roll them and slice when you’re ready to serve, or make it a fun activity and have your guests wrap their own rolls of preference. You can add shredded chicken breast or blanched prawn slices, or even opt out the meat altogether and make it vegetarian rolls. Fresh ingredients of the filling can vary. The sauce is what makes the dish.
Ingredients
- 4 – 6 sheets rice roll wrappers
- 4 – 6 prawns or a chicken breast, omit for vegetarian options
- 1 carrot
- 1 cucumber
- 4 string beans
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup fresh rice vermicelli (Khanom Jeen)
- A handful of Thai sweet basils
- A handful mint leaves
Dipping Sauce Ingredients
- 1-3 Bird’s eyes chilis (or half a chili for mild spicy)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 coriander root, chopped finely
- 1/2 Tbsp palm sugar
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp chicken or seafood stock, or water
- 2 Tbsp fresh coriander, chopped finely
- 2 Tbsp ground roasted peanut
Directions
- In a stone mortar and pestle (or a blender) pound chilis, garlic, and coriander root until fine. Add sugar and muddle until mixed. Add lime juice, fish sauce, and stock or water, mix until combined well. Stir in the chopped fresh coriander. Set aside. Sprinkle ground roasted peanuts before serve.
- Devein the prawns through the last section of the shell. Blanch in gentle boiling water for 1 minute or until just cooked. Remove from heat and drop them in cold water for a few minutes. Remove from cold water and peel of the shell, carefully slice half through the back. Set aside. Reserve the stock to use in sauce.
- If use chicken breast, bring it to a gentle boil in a pot with water just enough to cover the chicken. Leave to cook for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from stock and fork shred into flossy thin strip. Or leave to cool and hand shred it to thin strips. Reserve the stock.
- Peel and cut into thin stick the carrot and cucumber (remove seeds). You can use Julien peeler to shred the carrot as well.
- Blanch string beans for a few minutes and bean sprouts for half a minutes. Remove and set aside. You can also use them fresh (uncooked) for crunchy texture.
- Dip (not soak) the rice paper in water for 5 seconds and place it on a clean board. Lay vegetables and meat of choice and preference. Roll up the sheet gentle but firmly until the end.
- Slice into bite size and serve with the dipping sauce.
