Fresh Spring Rolls - a memory of Cambodia

I wrote recently about how important food and recipes are as a souvenir of my travels around the world.  These delicious fresh spring rolls instantly transport me back to Cambodia and memories of a wonderful Christmas holiday there.  The rolls were on the menu of a cooking course my sister and I indulged in on one of our 'relax' days.  The ingredients (or good substitutes) are generally easy to source in most parts of the world.  I even managed to get the roll papers in Astana!

At the cooking course all ingredients were laid out.  My kitchen is less organised.  

You need:

Rice Paper wrappers (3 per person)
grated carrot
cucumber cut into strips
vermicelli noodles cooked and cooled
Lettuce
sliced spring onions
cooked chicken, shrimp or pork.

Method:

Place the rice rolls in a plate of warm water for 5-10s, remove from the water and place on a teatowel.  Put a selection of the ingredients into the roll, fold in the ends over the ingredients and roll up.  It is that simple, you can change the ingredients depending on personal taste and availability.  Serve with the sauce of your choice, I am partial to the following:

Ready to eat.  

You need:

Fish Sauce (3 tbsp)
Palm Sugar (2tbsp)
Lime juice (2tbsp)
Chopped garlic and shallot (1tbsp each)

If you cannot find fish sauce substitute a combination of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Muscovado sugar will substitute for Palm Sugar. 

Method:

Heat the fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice in a pan, cool and add the ginger and shallots.  Many people like to add crushed peanuts to the sauce –chopped ginger and chilli also work well.

Click on the picture for more posts on the challenges of the expat kitchen.