These Vietnamese rolls resemble Chinese egg rolls, but use rice paper instead of won ton wrappers, which produces a much more delicate product. Handling rice paper for the wrapping is easy if you use only a couple of sheets at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp towel to keep them moist. These rolls can be prepared in advance: reheat in a 350 degree oven until crisp, about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

 For the Spring Rolls:

• 2 ounces cellophane noodles

• 3 dried Chinese mushrooms

• 8 ounces shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ½ cup shredded carrots

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 4 green onions, chopped

• 3 serrano chiles, stems removed, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce, either nuoc mam or nam pla

• 24 sheets rice paper (8 inches in diameter)

• Vegetable oil for frying, peanut preferred

For the Peanut Sauce:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons peanut oil

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon Vietnamese fish sauce, either nuoc mam or nam pla

• 2 teaspoons Asian chili paste

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

• 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

• ½ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

For the Spring Rolls:

n separate bowls, soak the noodles and mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut the noodles into 1-inch lengths and finely mince the mushrooms.

For the filling, combine the rest of the spring roll ingredients and mix well.

Place 4 to 6 cups of hot water in a large bowl. Dip the rice paper, one sheet at a time, in the hot water and then place on a damp dish towel to soften. It only takes 10 to 15 seconds to become workable.

To assemble: Fold over 1/3 of the rice paper. Place a few tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the folded portion. Fold the left side over to enclose the filling, then fold over the right side. Roll up to enclose the filling completely.

Pour the oil in a pan to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 325 degrees. Fry the spring rolls, a couple at a time, for 10 minutes or until browned. Remove and drain.

Serve with the peanut sauce for dipping.

For the Peanut Sauce:

To make the sauce: sauté the garlic in the oil until browned. Add the tomato, fish sauce, and chili paste and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Thin with water or chicken broth if necessary. 

A table condiment similar to ketchup–but much more pungent–sriracha sauce is named after a seaside town in Thailand. Increasingly popular, this sauce is found on the tables of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants all over North America. Fresh red chiles are the key to the flavor of this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh red serrano, cayenne, Thai, or chile de arbol chiles, stems removed
• 2 1/2 cups rice vinegar (or substitute white distilled vinegar)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

Remove the stems from the chiles. Place the chiles and vinegar in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Turn off the heat and add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Place the saucepan contents in a food processor or blender and puree until a smooth thin-paste consistency. Add additional rice vinegar if the mixture is too thick. Allow the mixture to steep for several hours, place in glass containers, and refrigerate. The consistency should be slightly thinner than ketchup.

Optional: Strain the sauce through a sieve and discard the solids for a smooth, seedless consistency.

This is the typical Thai chile sauce that is found in many forms–served in restaurants, bottled, and made in homes. There are many variations, of which this is probably the most basic. It is served with almost every Thai appetizer and entree.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 fresh, small Thai chiles, or substitute fresh piquins or chiltepins, stems removed, minced with the seeds (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup prepared nam pla fish sauce (available in the ethnic sections of some grocery stores, or in Asian markets)
• 2 cilantro leaves, chopped

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake well. Allow to sit to blend the flavors. Use immediately and refrigerate the remaining sauce. It will last several weeks in the refrigerator.