Chilled Vietnamese Shrimp Summer Rolls with Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce

Poach the shrimp in barely simmering salted water for 2 to 3 minutes, until just opaque, then drain and plunge into ice water. Once cold, drain again and slice each shrimp in half lengthwise so the halves lie flat with the pink side showing.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 round rice paper wrappers (22 cm / 8.5 inch)
• 24 medium shrimp (about 400 g), peeled, deveined and poached
• 150 g thin rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled
• 1 large cucumber, seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 medium carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
• 1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, thick stems removed
• 1 cup Thai basil leaves, loosely packed
• 1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed, for serving

Instructions

1. Poach the shrimp in barely simmering salted water for 2 to 3 minutes, until just opaque, then drain and plunge into ice water. Once cold, drain again and slice each shrimp in half lengthwise so the halves lie flat with the pink side showing.
2. Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package directions, rinse under cold running water until completely cool, then drain very well and loosen the strands with your fingers so they do not clump.
3. Whisk the peanut butter, lime juice, hoisin sauce and fish sauce together in a small bowl, thinning with 3 to 5 tablespoons of cold water a spoonful at a time until the sauce pours in a slow ribbon. Chill until serving.
4. Set up an assembly station: a wide shallow bowl of warm water, a damp kitchen towel as your rolling surface, and the shrimp, noodles, vegetables and herbs arranged within easy reach.
5. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the warm water for 8 to 10 seconds, until it is pliable but still slightly firm, and lay it flat on the damp towel. It will continue to soften as you work.
6. Lay 4 shrimp halves cut-side down in a row across the lower third of the wrapper, then top with a small nest of noodles, a pinch of cucumber and carrot, and a generous handful of mint, cilantro and Thai basil.
7. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll away from you into a tight cylinder, keeping steady gentle pressure so the roll holds its shape without tearing.
8. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, setting the finished rolls seam-side down on a platter and covering them with a damp towel so they never dry out.
9. Chill the platter for 20 to 30 minutes before serving, then cut each roll in half on a sharp diagonal and stand the halves upright to show the shrimp and herbs inside.
10. Scatter the crushed peanuts over the dipping sauce and serve the rolls cold, straight from the refrigerator.
11. Known in Vietnam as goi cuon, these fresh rolls are the country's answer to the heat of the southern delta: nothing is fried, nothing is cooked at the last minute, and the wrapper is softened with water rather than oil. In Vietnamese homes the platter arrives in the middle of the table with the herbs left whole, and everyone rolls their own to their own taste. That is worth copying on a hot July afternoon, because assembly is the only work and it happens well before anyone sits down.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 365 kcal
• Protein: 24g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 7g
• Sodium: 760mg