Vietnamese Shrimp Rolls With Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

LifeIsGood's Note:

Authentic and addictive. These work great as an appetizer for an Asian meal. The beet turns the noodles a beautiful pink color. *Note - You might want to wear kitchen gloves when you cut up the beet so your hands don't get stained!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 20 rolls

• 3 ounces vietnamese cellophane noodles, cooked according to pkg. directions
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 large beet, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh red chili pepper, cut into circles
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 lime, juice of
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 20 (8 inch) round rice paper sheets
• 20 cooked medium shrimp, tails off, halved lengthwise
• 40 mint leaves

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 lime, juice of
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (red chili paste)
• 2 tablespoons grated carrots
• 2 tablespoons grated daikon radishes

Directions:

1. Put the cooked cellophane noodles, veggies, cilantro and peanuts in a bowl and toss with the sesame oil and lime juice. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a large shallow bowl, dilute the sugar in 3 cups of hot water and stir.
3. One at a time, immerse the rice paper spring roll wrappers in the hot water for 10 seconds and then place them on a damp towel. Keep them covered while you work to prevent them drying out and curling up. (The rice paper is very delicate so don't soak them any longer than 10 seconds.).
4. To form the rolls: lay a rice paper wrapper on a flat surface. Take a small amount of the cellophane noodle & veggie mixture and lay it across the bottom third. Use less filling than you think you should; if you overstuff the wrapper it will tear. Carefully fold the bottom of the wrapper up to cover the filling then fold in the left and right sides, then tuck and roll it over once.
5. Lay 2 pieces of shrimp on top, then tuck and roll it over again.
6. Lay 2 mint leaves on top and then tuck and roll it over to close the whole thing up. The shrimp and mint leaves should show through the transparent rice paper. Arrange the finished rolls on a platter and cover with a damp cloth.
7. To prepare sauce: Puree the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, hot water, sugar, lime juice, garlic and sambal oelek in a blender until all combined. Pour into a serving bowl and add the grated carrot and radish mix.
8. Serve the shrimp rolls with the sweet chili dipping sauce.

Reviews

[Andi of Longmeadow Farm]

Agree with Evelyn, you have outdone yourself on this recipe. Every single part is amazing, and the taste, absolutely over the top. I followed this perfectly, except I used thinly sliced celery (match stick size) instead of the peppers. (ran out) Oh the cilantro, the beets, everything was beyond tasteful! I wasn't the best at rolling them, but eating them we all did well, and I had to hold the troops off just so I could snap a quick photo. And Darn!! That Chili dipping sauce!! I confess to using like 14 spoons sipping and sipping it by itself. Excellent all the way around. Made for *Zaar Tour Six* Zee Zany Zesty Cookz May 2010

[evelyn/athens]

I had opened up a package of pre-cooked beets to use in another recipe so knew I was going to make this version of spring rolls when I saw the beet. The spring rolls were very pretty and tasty but the dipping sauce was out-of-this-world GOOD!!! Will definitely be using it in future. You've added a lot of really excellent thai recipes to the database. Thank you. :-)