Authentic Vietnamese Gỏi Cuốn (Fresh Spring Rolls) Recipe

Ingredients−20servings+

• Pork Belly600g
• Shrimp700g
• Salt1 teaspoon
• Sugar1 teaspoon
• Shallot (thinly sliced)1
• Rice Paper (bánh tráng)as needed
• Lettuceas needed
• Assorted Herbs (rau thơm)as needed
• Garlic Chives (hẹ)as needed
• Bean Sproutsas needed
• Fresh Vermicelli Noodles (bún tươi)as needed
• Fermented Bean Paste (tương hột)2/3 cup
• Hoisin Sauce (tương đen)1/2 cup
• Peanut Butter (bơ đậu phộng)2 tablespoons
• Water2/3 cup
• Sugar2 tablespoons
• Seasoning Powder1 teaspoon
• Corn Starch1 teaspoon
• Cooking Oil1 tablespoon
• Minced Shallots (hành phi)1 tablespoon
• Crushed Peanuts (đậu phộng)for garnish
• Minced Chilifor garnish
• Pickled Daikon/Carrots (đồ chua)for garnish

Directions▶ Start cooking

1. Pour water into a pot, add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar, then add the pork belly and boil.
2. While the meat is boiling, remove the black vein from the shrimp using a toothpick.
3. Boil the pork belly for about 30-40 minutes, flipping occasionally to ensure even cooking.⏱ 40m
4. Skim off any foam that forms during boiling and add the thinly sliced shallot.
5. If no pink liquid comes out when you pierce the meat with a toothpick, it's cooked through. Remove the pork and cool it in ice water.
6. In the same pot, add the shrimp and boil for 4-5 minutes.⏱ 5m
7. Remove the boiled shrimp and cool them in ice water.
8. Peel the shrimp.
9. Halve the peeled shrimp and set aside.
10. Thinly and evenly slice the cooled pork belly.
11. Wash the lettuce, assorted herbs, bean sprouts, and garlic chives thoroughly, drain, and prepare.
12. Cut the garlic chives so that about 4-5 cm protrude when the roll is wrapped.
13. Lay a rice paper wrapper on a cutting board and wipe the rough side of the rice paper with a clean damp cloth to soften it.
14. Place lettuce, herbs, bean sprouts, and fresh vermicelli noodles on the rice paper.
15. Place two slices of thinly sliced pork belly on top.
16. Arrange three pieces of shrimp side by side.
17. Roll the rice paper from top to bottom, folding in both ends, and add the garlic chives, then roll tightly.
18. Make Gỏi Cuốn using all the ingredients.
19. Cover the prepared Gỏi Cuốn with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
20. Now it's time to make the sauce. Add 2/3 cup of fermented bean paste to a blender and blend until smooth.
21. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a pot, add 1 tablespoon of minced shallots, and sauté until fragrant.
22. Add the finely blended fermented bean paste and 1/2 cup of hoisin sauce to the pot.
23. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and mix well.
24. Add 2/3 cup of water and stir well.
25. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce comes to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat.
26. Pour the finished sauce into a bowl and garnish with crushed peanuts, fried shallots, minced chili, and pickled daikon/carrots.
27. Dip the Gỏi Cuốn generously into the sauce and enjoy.

Tips

• Adding salt and sugar when boiling pork belly seasons the meat and enhances its flavor.
• Soaking boiled pork and shrimp in ice water makes the texture chewier and prevents discoloration.
• Wiping rice paper with a damp cloth before use prevents tearing and allows for smooth rolling.
• Adding garlic chives at the end when rolling Gỏi Cuốn helps secure them beautifully and adds an aromatic flavor.
• Gỏi Cuốn can dry out easily, so covering them with a damp cloth immediately after making helps maintain their moisture.
• You can adjust the sweetness of the peanut sauce by varying the amount of sugar according to your preference.

🧑‍🍳 Recipe analysis notes

Supplementary notes from the video analysis. Please check the original video before cooking.

⚠️ Where this goes wrong

• If the rice paper is too dry, it tears easily; if it's too wet, it becomes flimsy and difficult to roll. It's important to maintain the right moisture level.
• If the pork belly is not boiled sufficiently, the inside may not be cooked through and could still be pink, so check by piercing it with a toothpick.
• If the Gỏi Cuốn are not covered with a damp cloth after rolling, the rice paper can easily dry out and become hard.

🔄 Substitutions

• Instead of pork belly, you can use boiled chicken breast or pork shoulder.
• If fermented bean paste (tương hột) is unavailable, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of doenjang mixed with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
• Instead of shallots, you can use thinly sliced regular onions in the same amount.

🎚️ Adjusting the taste

• To reduce spiciness, omit or adjust the amount of minced chili used for garnish.
• To reduce saltiness, decrease the amount of salt in the pork boiling water, or adjust the amount of fermented bean paste or hoisin sauce in the sauce.
• To reduce sweetness, decrease the amount of 2 tablespoons of sugar in the peanut sauce according to your preference.

✔️ Verification notes

• Check if the pork belly is fully cooked by piercing it with a toothpick to ensure no pink liquid comes out.
• Check that the sugar in the peanut sauce is completely dissolved and that it comes to a gentle boil to adjust its consistency and flavor.

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