Goi Cuon

Description
Goi Cuon is the name of the Vietnamese Cold Spring Rolls, which should be served cold and shouldn't be fried. Pronounced "roy kung", it literally means wrap roll. It is also known as summer rolls, transparent rolls, rice paper rolls. Basically everything except the sauce is made at the table. If you are feeling especially nice, you can make it for everyone beforehand - but that's no fun.

Ingredients

 * rice paper (banh trang – the best brand has a picture of a woman on the front; the next best brand has a picture of a rose)
 * meat - any that you prefer; sliced into thin (stir fry) pieces, marinated and cooked before hand
 * shrimp
 * vegetarian variations - thinly sliced marinated tofu or tempeh / thin slices of avocado / thin slices of roast pumpkin or sweet potato
 * cilantro (leaves separated and washed)
 * mint (leaves separated and washed)
 * lettuce (leaves separated and washed)
 * cucumber (thinly sliced)
 * 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
 * vermicelli rice noodles
 * chopped peanuts

Dipping sauce

 * hoisin sauce (can be purchased from any Asian grocery store)
 * lemongrass (minced)
 * a few cloves of garlic, minced
 * a little oil
 * crushed nuts (peanuts / cashews / pine nuts) to serve
 * freshly chopped chilli to taste

Directions

 * 1) Make the sauce first so that it has time to cool down. The remnants of sauce, if any, will keep for ages (months, maybe even a whole year) in the fridge.
 * 2) In a mid-sized saucepan, soften garlic and lemongrass in the oil
 * 3) Pour in entire contents of Hoisin sauce jar
 * 4) Fill sauce jar with water, stir water into sauce mixture until all water has been poured in Bring sauce mixture to the boil, let simmer for 5 – 10 minutes
 * 5) Allow sauce mixture to cool before serving
 * 6) When serving the sauce, place in individual dipping bowls and sprinkle with crushed nuts (cashew / peanuts / pine nuts) and freshly chopped chilli.
 * 7) Cook the meat (if using). Same with the vegetarian alternatives.
 * 8) Arrange the meats or vegetarian alternatives on a plate; the herbs and veggies on another plate; vermicelli in a bowl and have the rice paper and a large bowl of hot water handy.
 * 9) Soften the rice paper in the hot water and place the ingredients on one end of the rice paper. To make it look lovely, have some chives hanging out and make sure the vermicelli is surrounded/ hidden by food. I tend to go: meats/vegetarian alternatives; vermicelli; herbs and bean sprouts; cucumber; then lettuce leaf.
 * 10) Now gently roll the rice paper tucking the ends in as you go.
 * 11) Dip into your individual dipping sauce as many times as you like!