Cold Shrimp And Vegetable Spring Rolls With Cashew Dipping Sauce Recipes

VEGETABLE & SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• 1. For Garlic sauce: In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together well, making sure sugar dissolves. Set aside. For Peanut sauce: In a small sauce pan, whisk together all ingredients and heat on low until sauce thickens. Set aside.
• 2. Fill a small shallow cake pan with warm water. Working with 4 sheets of rice paper at a time, immerse them in water and let stand until very pliable, about 45 seconds.
• 3. Carefully arrange soaked sheets in a single layer on paper towels to drain.
• 4. Working with 1 soaked sheet at a time and keeping remaining sheets covered with dampened paper towels, put sheet on a clean dry work surface and arrange a pinch of cilantro leaves in a horizontal line across bottom, leaving a 1-inch border on bottom edge and on each side. Top with shrimp pieces, carrot, cucumber, scallions, noodles and lettuce.
• 5. Gently roll up filling tightly in sheet, folding in the sides of sheet to completely enclose filling (like a burrito), and continue rolling.
• 6. Transfer assembled rolls to a tray and cover with dampened paper towels. Tightly cover tray with plastic wrap (keeping dampened paper towels directly on spring rolls) and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• 7. Make remaining spring rolls in same manner until all sheets are filled.
• 8. Just before serving, using a serrated knife, cut spring rolls in half diagonally. Arrange spring rolls on a platter and serve with dipping sauces.
• 9. NOTE: Rice paper may become sticky. Just use a little water or oil to help. You will lose a few sheets while perfecting the process. Once you get the hange of it, it goes smoothly. But it will take a couple tries, so don't get inpatient.

COLD SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS WITH CASHEW DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan of boiling salted water cook shrimp until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes, and drain. Let shrimp cool and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
• In a small bowl toss carrot with scallion greens, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill a small shallow baking pan or cake pan with warm water. Working with 4 sheets rice paper at a time, immerse them in water and let stand until very pliable, about 45 seconds. Carefully arrange soaked sheets in a single layer on paper towels to drain. Working with 1 soaked sheet at a time and keeping remaining sheets covered with dampened paper towels, put sheet on a clean dry work surface and arrange about 1 tablespoon coriander leaves in a horizontal line across bottom, leaving a 1-inch border on bottom edge and on each side. Top coriander with about 2 tablespoons shrimp pieces and top shrimp with about 1 tablespoon carrot mixture. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon lettuce, about 1 tablespoon sprouts, and salt and pepper to taste over carrot mixture. Roll up filling tightly in sheet, folding in 2 sides of sheet to completely enclose filling, and continue rolling.
• Make more spring rolls in same manner with remaining 3 soaked sheets. Transfer assembled rolls to a tray and cover with dampened paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining 8 rice paper sheets and filling ingredients. Tightly cover tray with plastic wrap (keeping dampened paper towels directly on spring rolls). Spring rolls may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled.
• Just before serving, with a serrated knife cut spring rolls in half diagonally. Arrange spring rolls on a platter and garnish with coriander sprigs. Serve spring rolls with cashew dipping sauce.
• To make cashew dipping sauce:
• In a food processor blend cashews with oil, scraping down sides, until mixture forms a paste. Add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth. Dipping sauce may be made 4 days ahead and kept chilled, covered. Return dipping sauce to room temperature before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Score the shrimp on the underside in three equally spaced horizontal cuts. Press firmly on the shrimp to straighten.
• In a soup pot, combine 4 cups water, the wine, bay leaf, lime juice and salt and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, add in the shrimp and cover until the shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes. Scoop out the shrimp and shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Then drain and dry. Reserve the poaching liquid, keeping it hot but not simmering.
• Add the vermicelli to the hot poaching liquid (no need to simmer or boil the water because that may over cook the noodles). Cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Toss the carrots, cucumbers and red bell peppers with the rice wine vinegar and soy sauce.
• Dip each rice paper wrapper in warm water, one at a time, for a second (no longer or they will get too soft). The wrapper should still feel somewhat hard when you first start working with it. By the time you finish getting all of your fillings in, the wrapper will have continued to soften. Layer the first one with 2 shrimp, a basil leaf, jalapeno slice, some vermicelli and vegetables. Gently wrap like a tiny burrito and cut on the sharp bias. Serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce.
• Add the peanut oil to a small saute pan over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, and then turn off the heat. Then add the peanut butter, hoisin, sambel olek and 3 tablespoons water and mix together. You may need to add a little extra water if the mixture is too thick. Garnish with the chopped peanuts.

VIETNAMESE SHRIMP ROLLS WITH CASHEW DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare all ingredients before assembling rolls.
• If using, combine the mayonnaise, Thai red curry paste, lime juice and water, mix well until thoroughly blended and refrigerate until needed.
• Cook the rice vermicelli according to the packet directions until al dente, rinse in cold water, drain well, and chop into 2” to 3” lengths.
• Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes until reconstituted, then drain, reserving ¾ cup soaking liquid.
• Remove and dispense of stalks, and thinly slice caps.
• Cook shiitake in reserved liquid until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates.
• Season mushrooms with soy sauce and sugar, set aside and let cool.
• Add the rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, to the green onions, mix well and set aside.
• Place all ingredients, including the shrimp, shredded carrot, cilantro, mint, alfalfa sprouts and lettuce in separate piles on your work surface.
• Fill a shallow casserole dish with warm water.
• Immerse rice wrappers, four at a time, into the water until pliable (about 45 seconds).
• Arrange wrappers on paper towelling to drain, but keep moist by placing a damp paper towel over each wrapper.
• Working one wrapper at a time, thinly spread some of the mayonnaise/red curry mixture (if using) with a knife over the lower 1/3rd of the rice wrapper.
• Top with thin layers of noodles, shrimp, mushrooms, green onions, carrot, cilantro, mint, alfalfa and lettuce.
• Roll the rice wrapper over once, tightly, from bottom, then fold in the two sides to completely enclose the filling.
• Continue folding the wrapper over until completely rolled.
• Place finished roll seam-side down on a serving plate, and cover with a damp paper towel to prevent spring rolls from becoming dry before serving.
• Slice each roll diagonally in half, to serve.
• Serve with a cashew dipping sauce or a diluted mixture of hoisin sauce and water.
• Cashew Dipping Sauce: Toast the cashew nuts on a cookie sheet in a 400-degree F oven until golden, then chop finely.
• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring.
• Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Add as much or as little dried red pepper flakes, according to your preference.
• Correct consistency with a little extra water if necessary.