Vietnamese Shrimp Summer Rolls with Peanut-Hoisin Sauce

Directions

1. Cook and cool the noodles

   Bring a pot of water to a boil, remove it from the heat, add the rice vermicelli and soak according to the package, usually 4 to 6 minutes, until tender but springy. Drain, rinse thoroughly under cold water, drain again, and cut the noodle bundle in a few places with clean kitchen shears.

2. Poach the shrimp safely

   Bring 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a gentle simmer. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until opaque, curled into loose C-shapes and 145°F at the thickest point. Transfer to ice water for 3 minutes, drain well, and slice each shrimp in half lengthwise.

3. Whisk the dipping sauce

   Whisk peanut butter, hoisin, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic. Add 1/3 cup warm water gradually, then up to 3 tablespoons more until the sauce is thick but dip-able. Spoon into bowls and top with chopped peanuts; add chile sauce separately if desired.

4. Set an organized rolling station

   Arrange noodles, shrimp, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, mint, cilantro, Thai basil and chives in separate piles. Fill a wide pie plate or skillet with warm—not hot—water and lay a damp, lint-free towel on the work surface. Keep the rice-paper package closed between rolls so the wrappers stay dry.

5. Soften one wrapper at a time

   Slide one wrapper through the warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, rotating once. It should still feel slightly firm when placed on the damp towel; it will continue to soften as you fill it. Soaking until completely floppy makes it prone to tearing.

6. Layer for a clean cross-section

   Across the lower third, place 1 lettuce leaf, about 1/3 cup noodles, a small bundle each of cucumber and carrot, and a few leaves each of mint, cilantro and Thai basil. Set 3 shrimp halves cut-side up in a line just above the filling so their pink sides show through the wrapper; place 2 chives lengthwise with their tips extending beyond one side.

7. Tuck and roll firmly

   Fold the bottom edge snugly over the filling, fold both sides inward, then roll upward over the shrimp with even pressure. Place seam-side down under a barely damp towel and repeat for 12 rolls, replacing the water if it becomes cool.

8. Serve without sticking

   Arrange the rolls with a little space between them and serve within 1 hour with peanut-hoisin sauce. If cutting for presentation, use a damp, very sharp knife and wipe it between cuts.

Why this works

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

• For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with 12 ounces of pressed extra-firm tofu seared in 1 tablespoon neutral oil; use vegetarian hoisin.
• Use thinly sliced bell pepper, avocado or bean sprouts in place of either carrot or cucumber, keeping the total vegetable volume similar.
• For a nut-free sauce, replace peanut butter with sunflower-seed butter and omit the chopped peanuts; check the hoisin label for shared-equipment warnings.

Cook notes

• The yield is 12 substantial rolls, or 3 per serving. For appetizer portions, cut each roll in half immediately before serving.
• Keep cooked shrimp and ready-to-eat vegetables on separate clean surfaces from the raw shrimp and its utensils.
• Rice-paper brands soften at different rates. The wrapper should leave the water while it still has a little body and no rigid center.

Storage

Summer rolls are best within 2 hours. If needed, wrap each roll separately in a barely damp paper towel, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; let stand 15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate the sauce separately for up to 5 days and thin with warm water. Do not freeze assembled rolls.

Questions