Goi cuon translates to “rolled salad”, so you can expect lots of veggies. Traditionally, the main ingredients are pork and shrimp, but I have seen a few variations such as the vegetarian version our family makes that includes tofu, cha lua, and stir fry. It is served with a sweet and savory peanut hoison dipping sauce.
Goi cuon is a very popular and delicious appetizer served in most Vietnamese restaurants. However, my family likes to serve as a DIY meal. Not only is it healthily full of veggies, it is fun to make and incredibly easy! I think it makes a wonderful stress-free dinner party idea. Enjoy!
Goi Cuon Tom Thit – Shrimp & Pork Spring Rolls
(Peanut Hoison Sauce recipe to follow)
Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin – pork shoulder is a cheaper, though tougher alternative
- Ginger root – cut in half or so that it fits in the pot
- Salt/Pepper
- Shrimp
- Cooked Vermicelli noodles
- Romain Lettuce
- Mint Leaves,
- Rice Paper (Three Ladies Brand)
For the Sauce
- Peanut Butter – traditionally creamy is use, but I think chunky gives it texture
- Hoison Sauce
***Amount depends on how much you want to serve – each person eats roughly 3-5 spring rolls, with about 3 pieces of each ingredient in each spring roll.
Preparing Meat & Shrimp
1. Place ginger root and a good amount of salt into a pot of water and bring to boil. (Salt will flavor the pork)
2. Place in your pork and cook for 20 minutes. Take off heat and cover until cool.
3. Scoop out your pork, leaving the broth, and set aside. Bring the pot back to boil (careful to not let it boil over!)
4. Add your shrimp and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked. Do not over cook! (Overcooked shrimp looks extra curled and shrink in size) Take out shrimp and set aside
**Side note: You can throw away the broth, but I like to store it in the freezer for future use.
5. Slice pork into about 1 inch pieces.
6. Peel shrimp and slice in half.
7. Serve with lettuce, mint, noodles and peanut sauce. Instructions to wrap to follow.
Peanut Hoison Sauce
The relative ratio for the sauce is 1 water:1 Peanut butter:1/2 Hoison sauce. Start by using hot water and mix in peanut butter. The hot water will be easier to mix with the peanut butter. Mix in the hoison sauce. If the consistency of the sauce is too watery, add more peanut butter. Follow with hoison sauce to balance the taste. If it is too thick, add more water.
Hot water and peanut butter
Peanut Sauce using Crunchy PB
How to wrap
1. Start with dipping your rice paper in a large bowl or warm water or spray with water. Place it flat on plate.
Three Ladies Brand is the best!!
2. Start with putting lettuce on one end.
3. Place the mint on top of the lettuce
4. Add the noodles on top of the mint and lettuce
5. Place 3 shrimp right next to the lettuce (as shown)
6. Place a few pieces of pork on top of noodles.
7. Fold the rice paper tightly like a burrito and dip in sauce!
Don’t worry if it breaks or it’s not pretty the first time. Even I can’t make it that pretty still. Practice makes perfect! Happy cooking!
Awesome
looks healthy and easy to make. It seems that the wrapper is easy to stick.
Yes! It’s best to wrap the rolls immediately after wetting it…if you leave it on the plate for too long after wetting it will still too much to wrap!