#180 Goi Cuon or Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls

A freshly made salad roll comes in very handy for "on the run" lunches. I've spent a fortune at Vietnamese restaurants on this refreshing appetizer. So when a  friend mentioned how easy it was to make this at home, I had to take up her suggestion.  This was my rookie attempt at rolling these beauties in my kitchen and I tell ya, I will not purchase another one of these cool packages at any restaurant!!

Ingredients
2 ounces vermicelli noodles or thin rice noodles.
1 cup sliced cucumber
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup sliced red radishes
1 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 1/2 cups Steamed Shrimp
1/2 cup Thai Hot and Sweet Sauce for dipping
10 large round rice paper wrappers.

Directions:

Steaming the Shrimp
1. To steam the shrimp devein and wash the shrimp well and take about 3 cups water in a pan.
2. To the water add 1 tspn soy sauce, 1 tspn garlic and 1 Tblspn any store bought Chinese salad dressing(I used sesame- ginger).
3. Boil the spiced water and add the cleaned shrimp, quick cook the shrimp for a minute or two and remove, drain. Slice each shrimp lengthwise
into two halves.

Cooking the Vermicelli Noodles:
4. You can use the same hot water that you cooked the shrimp in step 3 above, and add the noodles.
Quick cook to make sure it is not overcooked and mushy. Drain well and keep aside.


To make the Rolls:
5. Set up an assembly line with a plastic cutting board in the center and the sliced vegetables, noodles, mint and shrimp around it to make it easier to stuff the rolls.
6. Start making the first roll by softening one rice paper by dipping in a deep plate of water for a second or two until it is flexible.
7. Carefully remove most of the water and place flat on the cutting board. Keep warm water in the deep plate so that it is easy to quickly remove the next paper.
Be careful not to let the paper fold on itself when you remove it from the water. If you soak it too much it's too soft and hard to work with.
8. Now, place about 3-4 pieces each of cucumber, scallion, bell pepper, radishes and mint on the middle of the wrapper.
9. Add a 1/4 tspn of cooked and drained vermecilli on top and followed by two shrimp halves. Now you have a heap in the middle lengthwise.
10. Roll the rice paper as you would a taco from the end on your side over the heap tucking in the sides as you roll to the end of the paper's edge.
11. The ends should be tucked in as tight as you can, but gently so that none of the vegetables break through the thin softened paper.
12. Slice diagonally and serve with dipping sauce.