Fresh Spring Rolls— Goi Cuon

These are fun to make and so tasty too! Serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce. Chicken can be substituted for the shrimp. Another Cook's Illustrated recipe!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 8 Spring Rolls

Ingredients

• 3  ounces  dried  rice vermicelli
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1  large carrot, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater
• 2  fresh chili peppers, minced (Thai, serrano, or jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed )
• 1⁄3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1  large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into 2-inch-long matchsticks
• 8  round rice paper sheets (8 inches in diameter)
• 1⁄2 cup  loosely packed fresh mint leaves, large leaves torn into pieces
• 1⁄2 cup  loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
• 4  large  leaves red leaf lettuce or 4  large boston lettuce, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
• 1⁄2 lb  cooked extra-large shrimp, chilled and sliced in half lengthwise (21 to 25 per pound)

Directions

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
2. Remove the boiling water from the heat, add the rice noodles, and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Drain and transfer noodles to a medium bowl.
4. Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar together in small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
5. Toss 2 tablespoons of the lime juice mixture with the noodles.
6. In a medium bowl, toss 1 more tablespoon of the lime juice mixture with the carrot, peanuts, and chiles.
7. In small bowl, toss the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice mixture with the cucumber.
8. Spread a clean, damp kitchen towel on a work surface.
9. Fill a 9-inch pie plate with 1 inch of room temperature water.
10. Working with one rice paper wrapper at a time, immerse each wrapper in water until just pliable, about 2 minutes, then lay the softened wrapper on the towel.
11. Scatter about 6 mint leaves and 6 cilantro leaves over the wrapper.
12. Arrange 5 cucumber sticks horizontally on wrapper and top with 1 tablespoon of the carrot mixture, 2 tablespoons of the lettuce, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the noodles, and 2 shrimp halves.
13. To wrap the spring rolls, fold up bottom 2-inch border of wrapper over filling.
14. Fold left, then right edge of wrapper over filling. Roll filling to top edge of wrapper to form tight cylinder.
15. Then transfer to a serving platter and cover with a second damp kitchen towel.
16. Repeat with the remaining rice paper wrappers and filling ingredients. (The covered spring rolls can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.).
17. Serve with the peanut dipping sauce.