VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

the first time i ever tried a spring roll was, ironically, at greasy tgi friday's, where i was working through college. but, it was delicious and great alternative to the lesser option provided. what i like about spring rolls is how versatile they are. you can put anything you'd like with the basic components...shrimp, vermicelli, and some sort of herb, like basil or cilantro. one of my favorite ingredients used in the tgif version was asparagus. they also served it with some sort of soy sauce concoction for dipping, which was tasty, but a traditional peanut sauce makes this appetizer complete.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

adapted from tiny urban kitchen posted on july 30, 2009

• 1 pack of spring roll skins (found in the dry noodle aisle)
• 1 pack of vermicelli noodles
• 1 lb of cooked shrimp
• 1 bundle of cilantro
• 1 bag of shredded carrots

**feel free to swap out any ingredients for your taste preference**

soak the noodles in hot water until soft (about 2-3 minutes). drain the water and cut into 1-2 inch snippets using scissors.

fill another large bowl (bigger than the wrappers) with hot water (not boiling - you don't want to burn your fingers).

lay the wrapper on the plate and put 2-3 pieces of shrimp, 4 stems of cilantro, and a small pile of vermicelli noodles.

the wet wrapper will stick to itself, so carefully wrap.

once it's rolled, it will look wet and soggy, but it will dry quickly and look tasty.

PEANUT SAUCE

• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1/2 T hoisin sauce
• 6 T water
• 2 T sugar

**just like the spring rolls, this recipe is versatile. if you want it more sweet, add more sugar. if you'd like it spicy, at srirachi sauce. thicker...add more peanut butter. you can even add chopped scallions, basil, etc.**

mix all the ingredients together until well mixed.

my yummy tip: if you're new to using the spring roll wrappers, they become hard again after 4 or so hours. so, these are the last things you want to prepare for a party. the peanut sauce will also naturally separate, so the more last minute this can be prepared, the better.