Shrimp Spring Rolls

This recipe is pretty simple and full of flavor. It makes a great appetizer, snack or even main dish. I usually like making it during the hot summer months because it’s a cold refreshing roll. There are many ways to do this but I tried to keep it simple. You can add more veggies or omit the shrimp if you like. The key is no to overstuff the rolls.

Ingredients

Yields 10-12 rolls

• 1 lb. of of thawed packaged uncooked shrimp. You can definitely use raw shrimp in it’s shell, but you need to clean it prior to use.
• 3 Tbsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 quart cold water
• 12 pieces Rice paper
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1-2 carrots, cut into strips
• 1 cucumber, seeds removed and cut into strips
• 3 stalks green onions, sliced
• About 6-12 lettuce leaves. You can use romaine lettuce or what you have.
• Handful of fresh Thai basil leaves
• Shallow plate and warm water

1. First, clean your shrimp and remove shells. If using fresh, make sure you devein it. Next, make a brine for the shrimp keep them nice and juicy when cooked. Fill a container that will hold a quart of water. Add the salt and sugar. Stir until it completely dissolved. Now add the cleaned and shelled shrimp, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prep the veggies by cleaning and drying them. Clean and cut carrots as thin as possible. Lay out what you need on a plate.

2. Meanwhile, prep the veggies by cleaning and drying them. Clean and cut carrots as thin as possible. Lay out what you need on a plate.

3. Boil 6-8 cups water over medium high heat. While waiting for the water to boil, drain the shrimp. DO NOT RINSE. Once the water is a full rolling boil, carefully add shrimp and cook for only 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain. Let it cool. Slice each shrimp in half. Set aside.

4. First, make lettuce rolls by placing leaves on a cutting board, desired veggies and roll lettuce tightly. Make until all lettuce or veggies are used up and set aside. Next, fill a shallow pie plate or any plate with warm water. Take one rice paper at a time and dip in the plate with water and rotate till for about 10 seconds and remove quickly so as not to be too sticky. Place lettuce roll and add three (3) sliced pieces of shrimp with basil on top. Fold the sides over and then from the bottom (where the lettuce is) tightly roll over the shrimp until the end. Continue until all ingredients are used up. Should yield 10-12 rolls. Be sure not to overstuff the rolls or they’ll tear apart.

The finished rolls should look similar to the above picture. It takes some practice to roll, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty fun. That’s my take on fresh shrimp spring rolls. You can serve by itself or with a dipping sauce of your preference, such as peanut, hot sauce, etc. And by laying the shrimp as such, they look pretty. I hope you enjoyed this and thank you again for stopping by. Buen Provecho!