Char Sui Pork & Prawn Rice Paper Rolls

Posted by thesensitivefoodie on August 3, 2013 in Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Pork Dishes, Seafood Dishes | 6 Comments

(gluten, dairy, egg & nut free)

While the produce where I live in the Blue Mountains is great, it is lacking in diversity. Luckily I work in the Inner West of Sydney, which has a real mixing pot of cultures. I love going to different areas and visiting shops that have amazing food and produce available.

I stopped in to an asian greengrocer near my work to pick up everything I needed to make these rice paper rolls for dinner. They have a section with cooked roast ducks, pork, char sui, etc. Seeing the ducks hanging in shop windows used to completely freak me out, but I seem to have gotten used to it over the years, luckily they cut up and slice all the meat for you in the weight you ask for. The roast pork is to die for, but I swear it laced with cocaine. Every time I have it, it is all I can think about for days. As difficult as it was, I didn’t get any this visit, but I did get some delicious char sui (Chinese marinated BBQ pork). I am glad I bought more than I needed, since the slices kept disappearing while I was taking photos 🙂 It is also much cheaper to buy things like rice flour, coconut sugar, rice noodles, etc. I stock up whenever I visit, and I usually throw in a couple of miscellaneous items, that require a google search to work out what I can do with it. Some are great, others not so great, but it’s a good way to learn new things.

Ingredients (Makes 12 rolls)

3 pieces of cooked char sui  thinly sliced(hanging in the bottom right hand corner in above pic)
18 cooked medium sized prawns, shell removed, and sliced in half down the centre.
1 packet vermicelli rice noodles
12 round rice papers
1 large carrot, peeled, cut in half, and then thinly sliced using a julienne
1 large cucumber, cut in half, and then thinly sliced using a julienne
1 cos lettuce, leaves removed, large leaves, cut in half down the centre
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint, normal or vietnamese. Vietnamese is better, but difficult to find.
hoisin sauce for dipping

Method

1. Arrange sliced vegetables, herbs, meat & prawns on a platter, or individual plates for each person to make their own rolls up.

2. Cook vermicilli noodles according to directions, drain and add to plate. (Tip, after draining, run the noodles under cold water and then drain again. It helps them to not get soggy.)

3. In a large bowl, add boiling water. Put a plate next to the bowl. You need to work quickly with the rice paper, as it becomes soft very quickly. Taking one sheet at a time, slowly dunk into the hot water. Hold out the sides to stop them from sticking together. Hold out above water, to let the excess water run off.  Then lay out flat on the plate.

4. I tend to make the rolls up, as I go. Take the plate with the soft rice paper, and then add 3 prawn halves down the centre line, leaving room at each end to fold up. Then place on top the pork, herbs, carrot, cucumber, some vermicelli noodles, and then the lettuce. Roll the end up over the picture first. Then take one of the sides, and pull it up over the mixture tightly (remember to be gentle with the rice paper), and then roll in up into a sealed roll.

5. continue with remaining ingredients . Serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!

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