Vietnamese Wrap Recipes

BANH-MI WRAP: VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK WRAP WITH PICKLED CARROTS AND MINT

Steps:

• For the pickled carrots: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vinegar, and salt until dissolved. Add the carrots, toss to coat and allow to pickle for about 2 hours. For the pork: Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, garam masala, black pepper, garlic and shallots in a re-sealable plastic bag. Seal and shake until well dissolved. Add the pork to the bag, massage the marinade into the pork and marinate for 1 hour. When you're ready to cook the pork, grab a large cast-iron skillet. Place the pan over high heat until it is smoking. Using a pair of tongs, pull each pork chop out of the marinade, shake off the excess and place it in the pan. Don't crowd the pan - no meat should be touching! You want the meat to sear, not steam. After about 2 minutes, flip each chop; it should be a caramel brown color. Cook another minute on the other side and remove from the pan. If you're cooking in batches, cook the remaining chops. Slice the chops into thin strips. For the sandwiches: Warm the tortillas up over an open flame so they become soft and pliable. I also like to char them a little! If you don't have a gas stove, warm them in a pan over medium heat, or pop them in a microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Smear a little mayo down the middle of the tortilla. Then, pile a little layer of pickled carrots, some cucumber slices, a few sprigs of cilantro, some mint leaves, pork chop strips, a few slices of chiles a and squeeze of fresh lime juice over the top. Wrap, and secure with toothpick. Wrap in parchment paper if you're taking them to the beach, or just eat right away if you're not!;
• Add the green cardamom seeds, cloves, black cardamom seeds and cinnamon sticks to a spice/coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

VIETNAMESE WRAP

Steps:

• Heat the pork in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer pork to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Let cool. Mix the hoisin sauce and water chestnuts together in a small bowl. Add the pork and mix well. Refrigerate while preparing the rice papers. ASSEMBLY: Fill a pie plate or other wide, shallow container with lukewarm water(do not use cold water or hot water). Place 2 rice papers in the water. Let sit until somewhat soft, about 45 seconds. Remove 1 paper at a time and place on a paper towel. Cover with an additional paper towel. Repeat the process until there are 12 layers of rice paper. The rice paper will become pliable 1 to 2 minutes after being stacked. Invert the stack and use the rice papers in the order in which they were removed from the water. Place 3 rice papers at a time on a clean work surface. Sprinkle each rice paper with 1/8 teaspoon of the sesame seeds. Place 1 basil leaf on the bottom third of each rice paper. Top with 1 tablespoon of the pork mixture. Cover with one mint leaf. Fold the right and left edges toward the center of the filling, pressing firmly. Fold the bottom edge of the rice paper toward the center and gently but firmly roll until the top edge is reached and a rectangle 11/2 by 2 inches is formed. Repeat until the first 12 rice paper rolls are complete. Cover assembled wraps with a very damp towel and cover with plastic wrap. Soak remaining rice paper wraps and assemble until remaining ingredients have been used. Cover the wraps as directed. These rolls can be left at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Do not refrigerate or the rice paper will harden.

VIETNAMESE PRAWN SUMMER ROLLS

Steps:

• Make the dipping sauce by pounding the garlic, chilli, ginger and sugar together using a pestle and mortar, then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Alternatively, just blitz everything together in a mini blender.
• Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 15 mins, then drain well. Assemble all the prepared filling ingredients - once you start, you will need everything to hand.
• When you are ready to make the rolls, dip one of the rice papers in a bowl of hot water, moving it around until the whole wrapper is soft - about 10-15 secs - then drain on a tea towel.
• Place a rice paper wrapper on a board and at one edge of the wrapper, add a few mint leaves, then three prawn halves.
• Place some lettuce on top of the prawns, followed by some noodles, a few strips of carrot and cucumber, some more herbs and finally some beansprouts. Don't overfill the pancakes or they will be hard to roll.
• Lift the edge of the rice paper wrapper nearest to you over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly.
• When you're about halfway, fold the ends of the rice paper in and over the filling so that it is completely enclosed.
• Keep on rolling tightly until the whole rice paper wrapper is rolled up. To serve, cut the rolls in half on the diagonal.

ASIAN WRAPS

Steps:

• Place chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, ginger and oil; stir in onion. Pour over chicken. Cook, covered, on low 3-4 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; shred with 2 forks and refrigerate until assembly., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into honey mixture. Cook, covered, on high until sauce is thickened, 20-30 minutes. Toss chicken with 3/4 cup sauce; reserve remaining sauce for serving., Fill a large shallow dish partway with water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into water just until pliable, about 45 seconds (do not soften completely); allow excess water to drip off., Place wrapper on a flat surface. Layer 1/4 cup coleslaw, 1/3 cup chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon noodles across bottom third of wrapper. Fold in both sides of wrapper; fold bottom over filling, then roll up tightly. Place on a serving plate, seam side down. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve with reserved sauce.

VIETNAMESE PORK LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt until blended. Stir in carrots and onion; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., In a large skillet, cook pork, ginger and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until pork is no longer pink, breaking up pork into crumbles; drain. Stir in soy sauce, mirin, salt, pepper and, if desired, fish sauce., To serve, drain carrot mixture. Place pork mixture in lettuce leaves; top with cucumber, red pepper, green onions, carrot mixture and herbs. Sprinkle with jalapeno and peanuts; drizzle with hoisin sauce. Squeeze lime juice over tops. Fold lettuce over filling.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Set the dipping sauce aside.
• Fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Add rice vermicelli and soak for 1 hour.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in shrimp and cook until curled and pink, about 1 minute. Remove the shrimp and drain. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Transfer rice vermicelli noodles to the pot of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove and drain in a colander. Immediately rinse the vermicelli with cold water, stirring to separate the noodles.
• To assemble the rolls, dip 1 rice wrapper in a large bowl of room temperature water for a few seconds to soften. Place wrapper on a work surface and top with 4 shrimp halves, 1/4 of the chopped lettuce, 1/2 ounce vermicelli, and 1/4 each of the mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Fold right and left edges of the wrapper over the ends of the filling and roll up the spring roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients. Cut each roll in half and serve with dipping sauce.

VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
• Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
• In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
• Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED STEAK WRAPS

Steps:

• Cut beef across the grain into thin slices.
• Combine lemon peel, juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper in medium bowl.
• Add beef; toss to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Combine water, vinegar, remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Boil 5 minutes without stirring until syrupy.
• Stir in crushed red pepper; set aside.
• Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade.
• Thread beef onto metal or wooden skewers (Soak wooden skewers in hot water 30 minutes to prevent burning).
• Grill beef over medium-hot briquets about 3 minutes per side until cooked through.
• Grill tortillas until hot.
• Place lettuce, beef, mint and cilantro on tortillas; drizzle with vinegar mixture.
• Roll tortillas to enclose filling.
• Garnish with star fruit, bell pepper and orange peel strips.

VIETNAMESE SHRIMP LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the water until boiling. Add the softened rice stick noodles and swirl in the hot water, then cook until just tender, 10-15 seconds. Drain thoroughly in a colander and rinse under cold water. Clip the noodles into 3 inch lengths and place into a medium serving container.
• Chop the fresh herbs and peanuts as above and place each in an individual serving container (small bowl or ramekin).
• Peel and de-vein the shrimp, remove the tails. If shrimp are large, cut in to thirds. Season shrimp in a mixing bowl with lemongrass paste (you can use finely chopped fresh lemongrass if available), salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Mix thoroughly and saute in a large pan with peanut oil until shrimp are just cooked. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and place in a serving container.
• To make the dipping sauce: In a small mixing bowl, soak the crushed red pepper in lime juice for several minutes Add the garlic, sugar, and fish sauce and stir to dissolve the sugar. Transfer to a serving container and add the grated carrots and serve at room temperature Refrigerated, the sauce will keep in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days.
• To Serve: Arrange lettuce on a large platter surrounded by the containers of chopped herbs, etc. and dipping sauce. To make a wrap, take a lettuce leaf in hand, place a small bundle of rice stick noodles on the leaf, scoop a large tablespoon of shrimp on to lettuce leaf, then add any herbs that you like. Add a teaspoon of dipping sauce onto the mixture on the leaf and then roll and eat. Delicious!

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN WRAPS

Steps:

• Put the cucumber, carrot and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and fry on a medium heat until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside. Pour the remaining oil into the pan and lower the heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for 2 mins until softened but not coloured. Add the sugar, soy sauce and 150ml water, and bubble for 5 mins until saucy. Return the chicken to the pan and heat through.
• Warm the tortilla wraps following pack instructions. Top the tortillas with the lettuce, chicken, and pickled cucumber and carrot.