Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)

Method

1. 1Prepare all fillings first. Put the pork belly in a pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until a skewer slides through easily and the juices run clear (at least 63°C in the thickest part); let it rest for 3 minutes, cool, then slice as thinly as possible (about 3 mm). Drop the shrimp into boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque all the way through, cool in cold water, peel, devein and halve lengthwise so each half shows a pink exterior and sits flat. Cook the vermicelli according to the package, rinse under cold water, drain well and divide into loose nests. Tear the lettuce into hand-size pieces, pick the mint and basil leaves, have the chives ready and cut the cucumber into matchsticks. Lay everything out on a board within easy reach — the rice paper waits for no one.
2. 2Make the peanut dipping sauce. Combine peanut butter and hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time and stir until the sauce has the consistency of thick cream — pourable but not runny. Add rice vinegar or lime juice. Taste: the sauce should be rich, sweet, slightly tangy, and savory. Adjust with more hoisin for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, more water for lightness. Stir in the sriracha if using. Transfer to individual dipping bowls and scatter the crushed peanuts over the top just before serving. The sauce is built on peanuts: if anyone at the table has a peanut allergy, serve the rolls with nước chấm (fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, garlic and chilli) instead and leave the crushed peanuts off.
3. 3Soak the rice paper. Fill a wide shallow bowl or plate with warm (not hot) water. Working one sheet at a time, submerge the rice paper for 5 to 8 seconds — it should still feel slightly firm when you lift it out. Do not wait for it to go fully soft in the water; it will continue hydrating for the next 30 to 60 seconds as you assemble. A rice paper soaked too long will tear when rolled. Shake off excess water and lay flat on a clean plate or board.
4. 4Fill and roll. Working quickly: lay a piece of lettuce across the bottom third of the rice paper. On top of the lettuce, add a small nest of vermicelli and 2 to 3 pieces of pork. Add a few herb leaves and 3–4 cucumber sticks. Lay 2 to 3 shrimp halves cut-side down across the upper third of the rice paper — these will show through the paper and are placed here deliberately for presentation. Lay a chive stalk across the center with the green end extending beyond the edge. Fold the left and right sides of the paper inward. Starting from the bottom (lettuce end), roll tightly away from you, tucking the filling as you go. Press the final edge firmly to seal. The roll should be compact and firm. Place seam-side down on a plate.
5. 5Serve immediately. Arrange the rolls on a plate, not touching each other — rice paper sticks on contact. Separate them with strips of cling film or keep a finger's width between each. Serve within 20 minutes of rolling. If making ahead for a party, wrap each roll individually in cling film and refrigerate for up to 8 hours; take them out about 10 minutes before serving. Rolls with cooked pork and shrimp should spend no more than 2 hours in total out of the fridge, counting the time the fillings sat out during assembly — throw away any that have been out longer rather than chilling them again. Serve with individual bowls of peanut sauce for dipping.