Goi Cuon (Fresh Vietnamese Summer Rolls)
Soft rice-paper rolls packed with prawns, pork, herbs and vermicelli — served fresh and uncooked with a rich peanut dipping sauce.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 10 rolls
- Level
- Medium
By Maya Chen
Method
- 01
Simmer the pork in lightly salted water until just cooked, about 12 minutes, then cool and slice thinly.
- 02
Boil the prawns for 1 to 2 minutes until pink, drain, cool, then halve each lengthways so they sit flat.
- 03
Soak the vermicelli in hot water until tender, drain well and cool.
- 04
Make the sauce: warm the hoisin, peanut butter and rice vinegar with a splash of water until smooth, then thin to a dipping consistency and top with crushed peanuts.
- 05
Set up a station: a wide bowl of warm water, the fillings in piles, and a clean damp work surface.
- 06
Dip one rice paper sheet in the warm water for just 2 to 3 seconds — it should still feel slightly firm, as it keeps softening on the board.
- 07
Lay it flat. Near the lower third, place a lettuce leaf, a little vermicelli, a few herb leaves, some bean sprouts and a slice or two of pork.
- 08
Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll halfway. Place three prawn halves cut-side down along the seam, then finish rolling tightly so the prawns show through.
- 09
Repeat with the remaining sheets, keeping finished rolls under a damp cloth so they do not dry out. Serve whole or halved with the peanut sauce.
Goi cuon are the gentlest introduction to working with rice paper, and a perfect example of the Vietnamese preference for fresh, uncooked freshness at the table. Nothing is fried; the rolls are simply assembled and dipped, letting herbs, prawns and noodles speak for themselves.
Working with rice paper
The whole technique comes down to the soak. A rice paper sheet needs only a brief dip in warm water — two or three seconds — and should come out still slightly firm, because it continues to soften as you work. Over-soaked paper turns gummy and tears. Set up a proper station with the water, the fillings and a damp surface before you start, and the rolls come together quickly.
Rolling and serving
Keep the fillings modest and place them in the lower third of the sheet. Fold up the bottom, fold in the sides, and roll tightly. Laying the prawn halves cut-side down along the seam on the last turn lets them show through the translucent wrapper for the classic look. Serve fresh with a rich hoisin-peanut sauce, keeping any waiting rolls under a damp cloth so they stay supple.
