Roast Pork and Sesame Shrimp Summer Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)

These summer rolls consist of roast pork, shrimp, herbs, and vegetables rolled in rice paper. Served with a dipping sauce (nước chấm), they are a favorite Vietnamese appetizer.

My mom used to make summer rolls or gỏi cuốn, a Vietnamese appetizer, regularly when I was young. In our family, it was served as part of the main course. Although I loved it, I distinctly remember the preparation as an arduous, painstaking process. Every vegetable had to be hand washed, dried, and some sliced. Other things to do included boiling and slicing pork; boiling, peeling, deveining, and slicing shrimp; cooking rice noodles; and making dipping sauce. Finally, everything had to be tightly wrapped in rice paper. There was a whole lot of work involved in the deceptively simple little rolls of goodness. 

But because they are little rolls of goodness, they are worth all the work. Eating them puts me in a state of bliss. There is the soft delicate chew of the rice paper and rice noodles; the savoriness of the pork; the sweet tender shrimp; the crunch of fresh carrot, lettuce, and cucumber; the herbaceousness of mint leaves; the sweet/salty/limy/garlicky dipping sauce. Did I tell you that it is a mouthful of bliss!?

Mom had a family of seven to feed, so making summer rolls was time well spent. I don’t make them nearly as much as my mother used to, but once in a while, I have a craving that cannot be overcome. That is when I get off my lazy-summer-roll-making-butt and whip some up.

My version contains a few modifications to the rolls Mom used to make. For one, I eliminated the rice noodles since the rice paper used to wrap the summer roll in is essentially the same thing. Besides, the updated version has fewer carbs! 

Other changes add more flavor. Instead of boiled pork, there is marinated and roasted pork tenderloin. As for the shrimp, it is pan-seared in sesame oil for a hint of nuttiness. Finally, Pickled Carrots and Daikon replaces fresh carrots for a more sophisticated flavor profile.

I realize that I just complained about how time-consuming it is to make summer rolls, then turned around and made the process even longer. But you know me, I always like to put a twist on recipes. Besides, you can find traditional summer roll recipes in a plethora of other places. So, if you are familiar with summer rolls and want to try a new variation, this version is definitely worth your time.  The Pickled Carrots and Daikon, as well as the dipping sauce (the same one used here), can be made ahead of time to make it easier on the day you prep the summer rolls.

Thank goodness for the convenience of modern packaged goods! They enable me to take a couple of shortcuts. These products were not available or budget-friendly back in the day when my mom made summer rolls for the family. One item I take advantage of is the pre-sliced lettuce, which allows me to cut down on washing, drying, and slicing time. If you have fresh lettuce from the garden and want to use it, go right ahead! Another item I like to use is pre-split and deveined shrimp. Talk about making life a little easier! No more slicing through the shell and removing the vein. It’s all done for me! I love the conveniences of modern life! 

And don’t forget, omitting the rice noodles not only reduces the starch content, it also saves a step!

The dipping sauce, also known as nước chắm, is a thing of beauty in itself. I use it in many of my Vietnamese dishes. It is complex in flavor with sweet, salty, tangy, savory, and spicy notes. This dipping sauce is an intoxicating mixture of chili garlic sauce, sugar, rice wine vinegar, water, garlic, lime juice, and carrots. As unladylike as it may seem, I love to slurp it up with a spoon. A confession:  I don’t always make it the same way. The one in the above photo does not have carrots. I opted for a sprinkling of red pepper flakes instead. Feel free to use one, both, or neither. It will still be fantastic!

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Roast Pork and Sesame Shrimp Summer Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cuisine:Vietnamese Courses:Appetizers Recipe Keys: L Light and Healthy

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time:2 hours Total time:3 hours Servings:14 Rolls

Description

These summer rolls consist of roast pork, shrimp, herbs, and vegetables rolled in rice paper. Served with a dipping sauce (nước chấm), they are a favorite Vietnamese appetizer.

Ingredients

• 1 (3.52 oz.) pkg. Red Roast Pork Seasoning Mix (Can be found in the Asian food aisle. Use only 1 of 2 packets.)
• 1 1/3 pounds pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
• 1/2 cup tap water
• 1 lb. raw 26/20 count shrimp
• 1/8 scant tsp. salt
• 1/8 scant tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 14 rounds rice paper (8 1/2″ diameter) (see photo B)
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and julienned 
• a few sprigs of mint leaves (or Thai basil, or cilantro)
• Pickled Carrots and Daikon (recipe here)
• Dipping Sauce (recipe here)

Instructions

1. 
   Photo A (comes with 2 packets inside)
2. 
   Photo B
3. 
   Photo C
4. 
   Photo D
5. Place water in a large zip-lock bag. Add contents of 1 packet of Seasoning Mix for Roast Red Pork (see photo A). Massage the bag with your fingers to dissolve solids. Add pork and zip tight. Chill for at least 2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to  375 degrees F.
7. Remove the pork from the bag. Discard marinade. Place pork on a prepared rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the temperature reads 145 degrees in an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch slices, then into 3/4-inch strips.
8. While the pork bakes in the oven, prep the other ingredients. Peel shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Preheat a large skillet on mediu- high. Add sesame oil. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn shrimp over and cook the second side for about 1 minute or until pink outside and translucent throughout. Remove from skillet. Cool for a few minutes. Slice shrimp in half lengthwise. Set aside.

To assemble summer rolls: 

9. First, line a couple of rectangular containers with wax paper or parchment paper. For each container, dampen a couple of layers of paper towels that are large enough to cover the containers. Set aside, but not in the containers. 
10. Fill a large shallow pan with 1 inch of room temperature water. Submerge one rice paper in water for 20 seconds. Remove, gently shaking off excess. Place on a flat surface. The rice paper should be pliable and will continue to soften more as you work. Place about 1/4 cup of lettuce on the upper third section, leaving at least a 1-inch edge. Add 1/8 cup cucumber. Top with 1/8 cup Pickled Carrots and Daikon. Add 4 to 5 strips of pork. Line 4 shrimp halves parallel to this pile, at the equator line of the rice paper (see photo C).   
11. Working with the pile of filling closest to you, lift and fold the rice paper over the filling. Hold in place with one hand and fold sides over with the other like wrapping a burrito. Roll into a log, tucking the filling and gently pulling the rice paper taught as you roll (photo D). Be gentle as rice paper tears easily. It may take a little practice before you can roll a tight summer roll. Place the summer roll in one of the lined containers. Cover with dampened paper towels. Repeat the steps until all summer rolls are made. Serve with dipping sauce. 
12. Makes 14 summer rolls.

Keywords:Vietnamese, Appetizer, Vietnamese Appetizer, Summer Rolls, Pork and Shrimp, Rice Paper

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