vietnamese fresh spring rolls with 2 dipping sauces

the best thing about a vietnamese pho restaurant, in my opinion, is the fresh spring rolls they serve with the yummy dipping sauces...my FAVE!  since i no longer live close to any decent vietnamese restaurants, i started making them at home.  here is a super authentic recipe that delivers spring rolls that taste as good as golden deli (at least that's what i tell myself!).  enjoy!

ingredients:

- 2 ounces rice vermicelli

- 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)

- 1/2 pound pork tenderloin

- 8 large cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined and cut in half

- handful of fresh thai basil, mint leaves and cilantro, thinly shredded 

- 1 small carrot, thinly shredded

- 2 lettuce leaves, thinly shredded

dipping sauce #1 (nuoc cham)

- 4 teaspoons fish sauce

- 1/4 cup warm water

- juice of half a lime

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tablespoon brown sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

dipping sauce #2 (peanut hoisin sauce)

- 1/2 cup water

- 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 1/4 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

directions:

- marinate pork with salt and pepper; cook in frying pan then set aside

- once pork is cool, slice into thin pieces and set aside

- prepare rice vermicelli noodles according to directions on the package; run the noodles under cool water, drain then set aside

- create a mini assembly line with the following: a large bowl of lukewarm water, a couple clean kitchen towels, a plate of cooked shrimp halves, a bowl of vermicelli, a bowl of chopped fresh herbs, a bowl of shredded lettuce and carrots mixed, a plate of pork slices, and an empty plate with a damp paper towel on top

- to assemble the rolls, soak a rice wrapper in the lukewarm water for a second, transfer to a kitchen towel, add a couple halves of shrimp to the center of the wrapper in a horizontal line, followed by some vermicelli noodles, herbs, lettuce, and a couple thin slices of pork all in the center of the wrapper in a horizontal line

- at the bottom of the horizontal line of ingredients, quickly fold the wrapper up, then fold in either side.  lastly, carefully fold the top of the wrapper in to complete the spring roll

- quickly place the spring roll on the empty plate and cover with damp paper towel; make the rest of the spring rolls following each step above

- i highly recommend serving the spring rolls ASAP with the dipping sauces (directions below)

- to make dipping sauce #1, dissolve sugar in warm water, then mix the rest of the ingredients in and set aside

- to make dipping sauce #2, puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth; refrigerate

- enjoy!

xoxo,

kara