Vietnamese Spring Rolls With Dipping Sauce

Recipe View 5 mins Prepare the Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the white vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes until the sugar is dissolved. Adjust the ingredients to your preference. Set aside. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Recipe View 1 hrs Soak the Rice Vermicelli: Place the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and cover with room temperature water. Let it soak until softened. (Soak time: 1 hour)

Recipe View 5 mins Cook and Prepare the Shrimp and Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and opaque. Remove them from the boiling water, drain, and slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Add the soaked rice vermicelli noodles to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Remove and drain in a colander. Rinse the vermicelli thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking. (Cook time: 5 minutes)

Recipe View 20 mins Assemble the Spring Rolls: Fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water for a few seconds until it becomes pliable. Be careful not to over-soak it, or it will become too sticky. Lay the softened wrapper on a clean work surface. Arrange 4 shrimp halves in a row on the lower third of the wrapper. Top with 1/4 of the chopped lettuce, 1/2 ounce of the cooked vermicelli noodles, and 1/4 each of the chopped mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Fold the right and left edges of the wrapper inward, over the filling. Then, tightly roll up the spring roll from the bottom edge to create a neat cylinder. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and ingredients. (Assembly time: 20 minutes)

Recipe View 0 mins Serve and Enjoy: Cut each spring roll in half (optional) and serve immediately with the prepared dipping sauce. Spring rolls are best enjoyed fresh. Refrigerate the rest.