Vietnamese-Style Fresh Spring Rolls With Salmon

Ingredients

• 5 (8 inch)  rice paper sheets (banh trang)

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or fresh basil sprig, loosely packed
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
• 4 leaves crisp green lettuce, sliced (remove ribs)
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 2 ounces rice vermicelli
• 2 ounces cooked salmon or canned salmon (flaked gently into small pieces)

Directions

1. 1

   Bring a quart of water to boil in a saucepan. Turn off heat and submerge vermicelli noodles in water. Soak for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Rinse with cold water in colander, and drain.

2. 2

   Fill a pie pan or pot that is wider than 8" in diameter with hot water. Carefully remove one rice paper wrapper from the package and submerge it in this water. Let it soak until it's soft. For easier handling, allow parts of the sheet to remain a little bit stiff (some of the hatch marks that are in the design of most rice papers can still be visible). Remove from water very carefully.

3. 3

   Place the rice paper wrapper on a smooth, dry surface. Surface should be ceramic, plastic or glass - Rice paper wrappers can stick to wooden surfaces. Take 1/5 of noodles and arrange lengthwise 1 inch from the bottom of wrapper. Leave 1-2 inches of the wrapper uncovered on the sides, as well.

4. 4

   Add mint, cilantro or basil, lettuce, and 1/5 of the flaked salmon as separate layers on top of the vermicelli. Pull the bottom edge of the wrapper up to cover the filling. Now fold both sides of the wrapper up to cover the edges. Continue rolling, tucking the filling in towards you with your fingers and roll tightly so that the roll remains firm (but not so tightly that you rip the rice paper!).

5. 5

   Carefully move spring roll to cutting board and cut in half with a sharp, serrated knife.

6. 6

   Repeat steps with the remainder of the ingredients until all the rolls are assembled. Serve with a sweet and spicy peanut dipping sauce.

7. 7

   A note about the rice paper sheets - As another RecipeZaar chef pointed out, it's important to make sure to get rice spring roll papers. These are not the same as eggroll or wonton wrappers. You can find them in Asian markets or online.