My favorite Vietnamese appetizer is gỏi cuốn tôm, approximately pronounced “goy coon tome,” otherwise known as shrimp summer rolls. I order them every time I go to a Vietnamese restaurant, and my mother makes them for me whenever I visit her. I don’t know what it is about these rolls, but I just can’t seem to get enough of them! Unlike Vietnamese spring rolls (which are pretty amazing too), summer rolls are not fried, making them a lighter and healthier option. To make the summer rolls, shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce, fresh mint, Thai basil and cilantro are rolled together in rice paper sheets. Traditionally, thin slices of pork loin are also included, but I prefer to use only shrimp in my recipe. I also make vegetarian summer rolls sometimes by simply using fried tofu instead of shrimp. Just cut the fried tofu into little matchsticks and add shredded carrots for more flavor and color. The peanut sauce for dipping is incredibly delicious. It is truly the perfect accompaniment to the summer rolls.

Although these rolls require a little more time than dishes I typically make, I promise the amazing flavors that explode in your mouth will be well worth it! Be sure to give my recipe a try one night when you have a bit more time on your hands :).

Recipe
Yield: 6 rolls

INGREDIENTS FOR PEANUT SAUCE:
1/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. Sambal Oelek chili garlic sauce (optional)
1 tbsp. roasted peanuts, slightly crushed (optional)

INGREDIENTS FOR ROLLS:
3 oz. rice vermicelli noodles
9 large shrimp*
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
5 sprigs fresh mint
5 sprigs fresh Thai basil
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
6 medium size rice paper sheets

*For vegetarian summer rolls, substitute shrimp with fried tofu.

DIRECTIONS:
1. To make the peanut sauce, simmer water and garlic in a small saucepan for about 7 minutes. Remove and discard garlic. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the garlic infused water, hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and chili garlic sauce until well combined. Top with peanuts and set aside.

2. Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Pour noodles into a colander. Rinse and let drain for about 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until they are opaque in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and let cool for a few minutes. Carefully peel and halve shrimp by cutting with knife parallel to cutting board. Remove any veins.

4. Quickly dip one rice paper sheet into a large bowl of hot water and carefully place onto a plate. The rice paper sheet will become soft within 1 minute. Place 3 pieces of shrimp (cut side up) in a horizontal line. Make sure to line shrimp slightly closer to the bottom of the rice paper sheet to make rolling easier.

5. Pile a little lettuce, 4 mint leaves, 4 basil leaves, 1 cilantro sprig, and rice vermicelli noodles onto shrimp, leaving about 1 to 2 inches on both sides of rice paper sheet. (Don’t pile too much on top of the shrimp as this will make rolling more difficult.)

6. Fold over both sides of rice paper sheet. Then fold over the bottom and start rolling tightly, away from you. Repeat until all 6 rolls are finished. Serve immediately with peanut sauce.