Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce | Gỏi Cuốn

Make dipping sauce:

1. Mix all ingredients until well-combined.

Prep all your ingredients:

1. To remove strong pork odors, add ginger, green onions, or shallots to boiling water. Boil the pork belly for about 15 minutes, or until it’s no longer pink when pierced. Remove, let cool, and slice thinly. Set aside.
2. Next, bring the pot to a boil and add the shrimp, cooking them until they turn a vibrant pink color, which usually takes around 3 minutes.
3. Bring the pot to a boil, add the shrimp, and cook for about 3 minutes until they turn pink. Remove, slice them lengthwise, and set aside.
4. Cook the rice vermicelli according to the instructions on the package. Once done, rinse the vermicelli with cold water and thoroughly drain.
5. Lastly, slice the crunchy vegetables such as cucumber to complement the dish.

Assemble the rolls:

1. Fill a large bowl with water. Take a rice paper and dip it quickly (around 5 seconds) into the water, ensuring that any excess water is shaken off. The rice paper then will become soft and pliable.
2. Place the softened rice paper on a plate, smooth side down. At the bottom, layer some lettuce, rice vermicelli, sliced pork belly, and fresh herbs. At the top, place the shrimp with the belly facing down, so they’re visible when the roll is made, making it look even more appetizing!
3. Fold the sides of the rice paper inwards towards the center. Then, fold the bottom edge of the rice paper over the filling.
4. Roll the rice paper tightly to enclose the filling. As you near the top, add a sprig of chive and continue rolling to seal it securely.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 3 with the remaining ingredients to create more spring rolls.
6. Serve the spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce.