Rice Paper and Memories of Vietnam

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        In 2010, my friends and I went to Saigon and it was followed by a trip to Hanoi in 2012. One of the most memorable thing I did on my first day in Saigon is the trip to a grocery store where I spent more than 500,000 dong for food items including rice noodles and rice papers, and another more than 500,000 dong inside the mall for souvenirs which includes a pretty tea set. We were a bit feeling bad because we all spent at least a million dong. Of course, the numbers are just numbers because a dollar then is 20,000 dong.

        When we left for home, I was teased by everyone when instead of throwing a pack of rice noodles, I unpacked it and placed the lump of noodles in every pocket of my bags. It was crazy.

        In Hanoi, we brought home coffee and condensed milk because the vietnamese iced coffee is worth bagging and carrying back home. Well, what else can you bring home from a great vacation except for memories in pictures and food to share by everyone back home. Tshirts, are nice, keychains are cute but dragonfruit when dragonfruit is not planted here yet is an experience of Saigon! Food is an experience that can convey travel and exploration. No need to be somewhere when one can replicate it at home.
 
  
 
 
SUMMER ROLL
 
Rice Paper
 
Filling
Rice Noodles, cooked according to package direction
Mushroom
Vegemeat
Italian beef Sausage
Iceberg Lettuce
Perilla leaves
Kailaan leaves or Kale
Purple Amaranth
Green Amaranth 
Chinese Cabbage
 
Dipping Sauce
Peanut butter Sauce (Peanut butter, hoisin sauce, hot water)
Soy Sauce (Worcestershire sauce, premium soy sauce, fish sauce)
 
Prepare all the Fillings.
Cook rice noodles according to package direction. Set aside.
Saute Mushroom, Vegemeat, and Italian beef sausage in garlic and oil and season well. Set aside.
Separate iceberg lettuce leaves, wash and drain and set aside.
Blanch separately, kailaan leaves, purple amaranth, and green Amaranth. Drain, slice and Set aside.
Saute Chinese Cabbage, season well and set aside.

Prepare the dipping Sauce.
Peanut butter Sauce: In a bowl, put the peanut butter and the hoisin sauce. Mix well then add hot water in small portion at a time until desired consistency and taste is achieved.
Soy Sauce: In a bottle, add Worcestershire sauce, premium soy sauce, and fish sauce, a few portion at a time. Adjust until desired taste.

The Roll:
Place rice paper in a flat clean surface. Moisten the paper with tap water using the fingers. Put all desired fillings in the paper and a little sauce then fold and roll like a parcel. Arrange in a platter before serving.
 


 

 
 
  


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