Asian Salad Recipes - Vietnamese Vegetarian Spring Rolls with Rice Vermicelli Salad (Bun Cha Gio) Recipe

Ingredients

• 100g (4oz) (soaked weight) rice vermicelli

• 100g (4oz) lettuce leaves, roughly chopped

• 85g (3oz) beansprouts

• 85g (3oz) cucumber, chopped into fine matchsticks

• 2 tablespoons ground peanuts

• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped coriander leaves 

For the spring rolls:

• 60g (2oz) black fungus mushrooms, finely chopped

• 85g (3oz) (soaked weight) rice vermicelli, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped peanuts

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 10 mint leaves, finely chopped

• 10 small spring roll sheets

• a little flour-and-water paste

• oil for deep-frying

For the dressing:

• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 30g (1oz) carrot, sliced into thin matchsticks

• 30g (1oz) white radish (mooli), sliced into thin matchsticks

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 2 small chilies, finely chopped

Serves 4

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Method

1. First prepare the spring rolls by mixing all the ingredients except the spring roll sheets, flour-and-water paste and oil in a bowl, using your hands to form a thick paste. Spread a spring roll sheet on the work surface. Place a heaped teaspoon of the mixture at the centre of the sheet and fold in three of the corners to make an open envelope. Roll the envelope towards the unopened corner and seal down the flap with a dab of the flour-and-water paste. Set aside. Repeat the procedure until you have 10 spring rolls.

2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and dip the rice vermicelli noodles in it for 1 minute only. Drain and cool under cold running water. Drain again and arrange with the other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. Make the dressing: heat the rice vinegar in a small pan and dissolve the sugar in it.  Leave to cool. In a bowl, mix the carrot, white radish and salt. Set aside. When the vinegar and sugar have cooled, add the mixed salted vegetables, stir well and leave for 30 minutes. Next add the fish sauce and chilies, stir well and set aside.

4. Heat the oil for deep-frying to very hot and fry the spring rolls in batches of 3 or 4 at a time until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Arrange the deep-fried spring rolls on the tossed salad and serve.