Gỏi Cuốn

Ingredients

Protein

• 300 g piece of pork belly (skin-on or off, your preference)
• 12 raw prawns (large, peeled, deveined, tails removed)
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger (sliced)
• 1 spring onion (cut into 3 pieces)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Rolls

• 100 g rice vermicelli noodles
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 12 sheets rice paper (22 cm rounds; bánh tráng)
• 1 small head butter lettuce (or little gem, separated into leaves, ribs trimmed)
• A large handful mint leaves
• A large handful coriander leaves
• A large handful Thai basil leaves (or perilla if available)
• A handful chives (or garlic chives, cut into 8 cm lengths)
• ½ cucumber (cut into thin batons)

Peanut-hoisin dipping sauce

• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 garlic clove (finely grated)
• 60-100 ml hot water (to loosen)
• 1 bird's-eye chilli (finely sliced; optional)
• 2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon hot chilli oil (optional, for drizzling)

Method

Stage 1 - Cook the pork

1. Place the pork belly in a small saucepan with the ginger, spring onion and salt. Cover with cold water by 3 cm.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Skim any foam from the surface.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes until the pork is tender when pierced with a skewer.
4. Lift out and rest on a board for 5 minutes. Slice as thinly as possible across the grain (3 mm slices); a sharp knife makes the difference here. Set aside on a plate, covered.

Stage 2 - Cook the prawns

1. Return the pork cooking liquid to a simmer.
2. Add the prawns and poach for 90 seconds, until they curl tightly and turn pink throughout.
3. Drain immediately and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry.
4. Slice each prawn in half lengthways (butterflied) so they lie flat. This is what shows pink through the wrapper.

Stage 3 - Cook the noodles

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the rice vermicelli and cook per packet instructions, usually 3-4 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
3. Toss with the sesame oil to prevent clumping.

Stage 4 - Make the dipping sauce

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the hoisin, peanut butter, vinegar, sugar and garlic.
2. Whisk in hot water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is glossy and pourable but still coats a spoon thickly.
3. Tip into a serving bowl. Top with the chilli (if using), crushed peanuts and a drizzle of chilli oil.

Stage 5 - Set up the rolling station

1. Fill a wide, shallow bowl or pie dish with warm water.
2. Lay a clean tea towel on the work surface for rolling.
3. Arrange all fillings within arm's reach: lettuce, prawns (pink side down on the plate), pork, vermicelli, herbs, cucumber, chives.

Stage 6 - Roll

1. Dip one rice paper round in the warm water for 5-8 seconds. It should still feel slightly firm; it will continue softening on the board.
2. Lay flat on the tea towel.
3. Lay 2 prawn halves pink-side down across the middle (slightly above the lower third). This is what becomes the visible pink stripe.
4. Lay a small leaf of lettuce above the prawns.
5. On the lettuce, pile a small handful of vermicelli (about a tablespoon), 2-3 slices of pork, a few mint, coriander and basil leaves, a cucumber baton, and let two chive lengths poke out the right-hand side.
6. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the lettuce, tucking firmly under the filling. The prawns stay exposed against the bottom edge.
7. Fold the left side in. Roll up tightly to the right, leaving the chives sticking out. The prawns should now be visible through the top of the roll.
8. Place seam-side down on a serving plate. Cover with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
9. Repeat for all 12.

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Cut each roll diagonally in half just before serving (optional, but it shows off the layers).
2. Serve with the peanut-hoisin sauce.