Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are this weeks Alfresco Friday dish because they are the perfect starter for a summer picnic on the beach or a BBQ with friends. They are so much healthier than a cheese or antipasto platter and perfectly suited to the season.
Having said all those wonderful things about this dish I try NEVER to make them! I struggle so badly rolling them, the rice paper splits, they are all different sizes and they just look wonky. It is a train wreck!So the other day when I was watching my friend Miss Rachy cooking Rice Paper Rolls I was in awe. She was a rice paper rolling machine! Miss Rach made it look so easy! So I decided to get her to make them a second time for all my lovely readers. For Alfresco Friday I will be taking you step by step through Miss Rach’s Rice Paper Roll recipe and technique.
![Rice Paper Rolls](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Rice-Paper-Rolls-LR.jpg)
Ingredients:
1 cup shredded poached chicken breast (prawns can be substituted)
1/8 Chinese cabbage (wombok), finely shredded
1/2 cup beansprouts, trimmed
1 small red capsicum, thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
3/4 pkt vermicelli noodles
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
1 finely chopped chilli
12 x 22cm rice paper rounds
sweet chilli sauce, to serve
Method:
Usually I chop everything in OCD matchsticks and lay out the ingredients separately. To fill the rolls I select veges from each pile and attempt to roll, trying not to poke holes with the carrots. WRONG
I watched and learned.
![Vermicelli](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Vermicelli-LR-300x199.jpg)
Soak the vermicelli in boiling water per the manufacturers directions.
![Shredded Salad Veges for Vietnamese](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Chopped-Salad-Veges-LR-300x199.jpg)
Shredded all the ingredients finely and combine the vegetables, mint, coriander, chilli, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice and vermicelli in a large bowl. Ensure all the ingredients are well combined.
![Prepared prawn & chicken](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Prawn-and-Chicken-Vietnamese-Rolls-LR-199x300.jpg)
Shred the meat and keep aside in a separate bowl.
Wet a clean tea towel and lay on the bench. Put water in a baking tray for soaking the rice paper rolls.
![Rolling Rice Paper Rolls](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Rolling-Rice-Paper-Rolls-LR-225x300.jpg)
Place the first rice paper roll in the water until it has softened. Once softened lay the rice paper round on the wet towel and place a fist full of the vegetable mixture on one end.
Lay slices of the chicken on top of the veges and add an extra mint leaf if desired. Roll away!
![Rolling Rice Paper Rolls](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Rolling-Rice-Paper-Rolls-2-LR-225x300.jpg)
Serve with sweet chili sauce.
The big difference between my technique and Miss Rachys was that everything was chopped finer and combined ahead of placing in a mound on the rice papers.
![Chicken Rice Paper Rolls](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Chicken-Rice-Paper-Rolls-2-LR.jpg)
Give it a go for me and let me know what you think.
![Chicken Rice Paper Rolls](https://www.meatandtravel.com/files/2012/11/Chicken-Rice-Paper-Rolls-LR.jpg)
So what are my readers up to this weekend? Do you have a special dish you usually bring to BBQ’s and picnics or do you vary it each time?