Recipe: Spring Roll and Lemongrass Pork Vermicelli

This Vietnamese cuisine is delicious when it is eaten still hot. The Vietnamese are known for the spring rolls that traditionally consists of pork and prawn wrapped in spring roll wrappers. These rolls are a popular appetiser and can be either eaten on its own or paired with noodles or rice. The fillings can vary according to preferences, but the best is always the traditional recipe that instils the cultural feel of the Vietnamese people and its heritage.

Ingredients:

• • 700 g pork neck, cut into 5mm-thick slices
  • 250 g vermicelli noodles
  • 20 cm piece pork rind, cut into 1cm pieces
  • 25g chopped roasted peanuts
  • Butter lettuce, mint and coriander leaves, to serve

• PORK MARINADE

  • 1 stick lemongrass, white part only, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 green spring onions, chopped
  • 50g palm sugar
  • 3 tbs sesame oil
  • 3 tbs roasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tbs fish sauce
  • 1 tbs ground black pepper
  • 1 tbs sweet ketchup

• PICKLED CARROTS

  • 250 ml rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tbs caster sugar
  • 3 carrots, cut into julienne

• SPRING ONION OIL

  • 250 ml vegetable oil
  • 4 green spring onions, thinly sliced

• SPRING ROLL

  • 100 g vermicelli noodles
  • 100 g black fungus
  • 750 g pork mince
  • 500 g raw peeled prawns, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 tbs salt
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 2 tbs fish sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 8 spring roll wrappers

• NUOC MAM SAUCE

  • 150 ml water
  • 60 ml rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbs caster sugar
  • 60 ml fish sauce
  • 2 tbs lime juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 red bird eyes chilli, finely chopped

Directions:

1. To make the pork marinade, process the shallots, garlic and lemongrass until finely chopped. Transfer them to a bowl and stir the remaining ingredients. Add pork and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours or better, overnight.
2. Boil vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Pour over the carrots in a bowl and set aside to cool completely. Then, drain any excess sauce off.
3. To prepare the spring onion oil, place the oil in a small saucepan over low heat until smoking. Pour over the onions in a bowl and set aside.
4. Cook the noodles according to its packet instructions.
5. Using a large frying pan, cook pork rind over medium heat until the fat renders and it becomes golden and crispy
6. To make the spring rolls, soak black fungus in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and chop them coarsely.
7. Combine the noodles, black fungus, minced prawns, carrots, shallots, salt, pepper, sugar, fish sauce and egg yolk in a bowl.
8. Divide the mixture among spring roll wrappers. Fold in sides and roll to enclose, brushing them with a little egg white to seal.
9. Deep fry the spring roll until it turns golden and crispy. Drain excess oil on an absorbent paper.
10. Heat the chargrill pan on medium temperature and cook pork until it looks just cooked through.
11. Add all the ingredients listed for the nuoc mam sauce in a bowl and mix well.
12. Arrange the noodles in serving bowls and top them with pork, spring onion oil mixture, crispy pork rind and some roasted nuts.
13. Serve with lettuce, mint, coriander and pickled carrots, spring rolls and nuoc mam sauce.

Once you’ve had a taste of the Vietnamese spring rolls, you’ll definitely be interested to try out more Vietnamese food! Don’t forget to check out restaurants delivers Vietnamese food right to your doorstep on foodpanda.

You can also check out our recipe on how to make Vietnamese Meat Rolls (Nam Chua) if you’re interested in making something similar to the Vietnamese Spring Roll!