Crab Summer Rolls with Spicy Sauce

Posted by reeniek (291)
Category: Appetizers
Subcategory: thai

Recipe Details:

For Sauce:
1/2 tsp garlic/chili sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp sugar

For Rolls:
1/4 lump crab meat
2 oz vermicelli rice-stick noodles
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 (8-inch) rice-paper rounds plus extra in case some tear
about 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
1 small carrot, julliened
about 3 scallions, minced
1 cup red leaf lettuce, shredded into medium pieces

Make sauce:
Stir together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Adjust seasonings to your liking.

Make rolls:
Add noodles to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold running water and drain well. Stir together vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add noodles and toss to coat.

Fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Soak 1 round in warm water until softened, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then carefully transfer to either a cutting board (to begin assembling) or a plate covered with a paper towel (if you want to soak all the rice papers first, then assemble).

Place lettuce in a row across bottom third (part nearest you) of soaked rice paper. Then, arrange crab meat on top. Spread noodles on top of crab, then carrots and cilantro. Sprinkle with scallions. Do not overstuff the rolls as they will be difficult to roll. Fold bottom of rice paper over filling and roll up carefully and tightly. Transfer summer roll, seam side down, to a plate and cut in half crosswise. Serve with dipping sauce. They can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered with dampened paper towels and then with plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 6 full summer rolls.

Notes: The rolling part of this recipe is the most challenging. The more practice you get, the better! This is a time-consuming recipe (lot's of chopping) but it is very authentic and good.

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