Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Nuoc Mam

This recipe was give to me by a Vietnamese friend as well as the tip on using the one and a half spring roll wrappers tip!

Ingredients:
1 kg minced pork
600 g minced green prawns
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
6 shitake mushrooms, soaked in water then finely diced
1 large carrot, grated
100g rice stick noodles (rice vermicelli), soaked in water
                                      then chopped roughly
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 Tbs fish sauce

200 spring roll wrappers
2 egg whites

Method:
Mix all ingredients together from the minced port to the fish sauce mixing until well combined.
Take the spring roll wrappers out of the packet but keep wrapped in a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
Remove 2 spring roll wrappers and cut one in half to make a triangle.
Place this triangle on top of the other wrapper to fit into one half of it.
Place a heaped teaspoon full of the mixture onto the spring roll wrapper on the double triangle.
Roll it up starting from the pointy side of that triangle, then tuck in the two end and continue rolling until it is in a spring roll shape-using a little of the egg white to stick the ends down so they don't unravel when cooking.
Its easier to line up 5-10 of the wrappers on the bench, then put on the filling on each one then roll them all up.
Deep fry them until nice and golden.
Serve with Nuoc Mam dipping sauce and lettuce leaves. (roll the spring roll in the lettuce leaves and dip in the sauce then eat!)
You can freeze the rest in single layers until required and cook straight from the freezer.

Makes 120-130 rolls

Nuoc Mam

2 tsp palm sugar, grated

4 Tbs boiling water
4 tsp fish sauce
2 red chillies,  finely chopped
2clove garlic, finely chopped
6tsp lime juice

Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water then add the fish sauce, chillies, garlic and lime juice.
Place in the fridge to cool.
Serve with the spring rolls-this is enough for 2-4 people.

Crispy Coconut Prawns with Mango Coriander Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

FOR THE PRAWNS:
500g green prawns
1/4 cup self-raising flour
3 tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder
few turns of pepper mill
salt
1/3 cup chilled beer
1 egg white
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
oil for deep-frying

FOR THE SAUCE:

1/3 cup natural yoghurt
1 clove garlic, squashed a little (you will remove this as its just to flavour)
1 small mango, pureed
2 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbs lemon or lime juice (or more to taste)
1 Tbs chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method:
Mix all sauce ingredients together and place in fridge.
Shell and de-vein the prawns-leaving tails intact if desired for a prettier effect.
Combine the self-raising flour, cornflour, ground corriander, chilli powder, pepper and salt.
Using a hand whisk gradually whisk in the egg white and beer making a smooth batter.
Dip the prawns into the batter one at a time shaking off any excess then toss in the dessicated coconut.
Deep fry 5 or 6 at a time for about 1 minute or until golden.
Drain on paper towel.
Remove the squashed garlic from the sauce.
Serve the prawns with the sauce.

 Serves 4 as an entree