Last Sunday I was invited to a Vietnamese spring roll lunch. Before trying out the spring rolls, we were served chicken porridge, which was pretty good. But highly anticipated was the Vietnamese spring roll. We were each given a plate and left to our own devices after the hostess showed us how to use the Vietnamese spring roll skin to wrap the various ingredients spread out on the table. Each skin is to be dipped in a bowl of water to soften it before it can be used to wrap the various ingredients.
Unlike the Chinese spring roll skin, the Vietnamese version is almost transparent, allowing you to see the rich colours of the ingredients.
Many of course fumbled in making a spring roll as it is a common tendency to put too much of the ingredients onto the wrapper. Some created monstrosities; others had one end of the roll fall out and along with it the ingredients, much to the amusement of the others. Part of the pleasure of eating the spring roll lies in the act of wrapping the ingredients and the choice of ingredients you put in.
What makes it distinctively different is the sauce. When asked how the sauce was made the hostess laughingly said that she would tell me later. But I suspected that it was a combination of light soy sauce with a dash of fish sauce which the Vietnamese are so fond of using in their cooking, and of course a sprinkling of roasted sesame seeds.
The choice of ingredients for making spring rolls is limited only by your imagination. So, dear readers, feel free to experiment!
Unlike the Chinese spring roll skin, the Vietnamese version is almost transparent, allowing you to see the rich colours of the ingredients.
Many of course fumbled in making a spring roll as it is a common tendency to put too much of the ingredients onto the wrapper. Some created monstrosities; others had one end of the roll fall out and along with it the ingredients, much to the amusement of the others. Part of the pleasure of eating the spring roll lies in the act of wrapping the ingredients and the choice of ingredients you put in.
What makes it distinctively different is the sauce. When asked how the sauce was made the hostess laughingly said that she would tell me later. But I suspected that it was a combination of light soy sauce with a dash of fish sauce which the Vietnamese are so fond of using in their cooking, and of course a sprinkling of roasted sesame seeds.
The choice of ingredients for making spring rolls is limited only by your imagination. So, dear readers, feel free to experiment!
Chicken porridge with shredded ginger and chopped spring onions and parsley
Fried eggs cut into thin strips
Grounded peanuts
Deep fried crispy “yu tiao” or bread stick cut into tiny rings
Pork floss
Fried hard tofu cut into tiny squares 
Sliced canned pork luncheon meat
Shredded carrot
Sliced turnip and cucumber
Bean sprouts and lettuce
The special soy sauce with sesame seeds
A brand of Vietnamese spring roll skins
Vietnamese spring roll skins
Dipping the skin in a bowl of water to soften it
The result
The delicious, crunchy Vietnamese roll
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