Vietnamese Chicken Wraps Recipes

VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
• Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
• In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
• Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.

VIETNAMESE RICE PAPER ROLLS (SPRING ROLLS)

Steps:

• Peanut Sauce: Combine the Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredients. Mix briefly (it won't come together), then microwave for 30 seconds. Mix again until smooth. Set aside to cool. Adjust sour with vinegar, salt with salt and spiciness to taste. Thickness can be adjusted with milk or water once cooled.
• Place vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water for 2 minutes, then drain (or follow packet instructions).
• Peel the prawns, slice in half lengthwise and devein (watch video).
• Remove the crunchy core of the lettuce leaves (watch video).
• Tip - LETTUCE BUNDLE (Note 4): Place some vermicelli noodles and bean sprouts in a lettuce leaf, then roll it up, finishing seam side down. Repeat.
• Fill a large bowl with warm water. The bowl doesn't need to be large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go.
• Place two rice papers together (if using 2). Note which side is the smooth side - this is supposed to be the outside of the spring roll. Submerge the rice papers into the water (both of them at the same time, together) for 2 seconds. If your bowl isn't large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go, that's fine, just rotate it and count 2 seconds for each section you submerge into the water.
• Place both the rice papers (one on top of the other, they will stick together) on a board or the counter with the smooth side down.
• On the top part of the rice paper, place 3 prawns with a mint leaf in between, as per the photo below.
• Place the lettuce bundle with the seam side down onto the middle of the rice paper.
• Fold the left and right edges of the rice paper in, then starting from the bottom, roll up to cover the lettuce bundle. Then keep rolling firmly. The rice paper is sticky, it will seal itself.
• If you placed the ingredients on the rice paper as per the photo below, your rice paper rolls should look pretty with the prawn and mint leaves on the smooth side of the roll and the seam on the side or underside of the roll.
• Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.

VIETNAMESE PORK LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt until blended. Stir in carrots and onion; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., In a large skillet, cook pork, ginger and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until pork is no longer pink, breaking up pork into crumbles; drain. Stir in soy sauce, mirin, salt, pepper and, if desired, fish sauce., To serve, drain carrot mixture. Place pork mixture in lettuce leaves; top with cucumber, red pepper, green onions, carrot mixture and herbs. Sprinkle with jalapeno and peanuts; drizzle with hoisin sauce. Squeeze lime juice over tops. Fold lettuce over filling.

VIETNAMESE NOODLES WITH LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Note 4)
• Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat (or heat the BBQ). Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off large bits of lemongrass (small bits should fall off during cooking).
• Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until dark golden brown and chicken is just cooked through - about 6 to 8 minutes in total.
• Remove from pan, shaking off any remaining bits of visible lemongrass and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.
• Combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to your taste (spiciness, lime, sweetness) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
• Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 3 minutes (or according to packet instructions), then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
• Individual servings: Place noodles in bowl. Top with vegetables and herbs, and sliced chicken pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of Nuoc Cham Sauce (be generous, ~ 4 tbsp per serving) and serve with lime wedges.
• DIY (my preferred way): Place chicken, vegetables, herbs, noodles and sauce in separate bowls / piled on platters. Then let everyone make their own bowls!

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN WRAPS

Steps:

• Put the cucumber, carrot and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and fry on a medium heat until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside. Pour the remaining oil into the pan and lower the heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for 2 mins until softened but not coloured. Add the sugar, soy sauce and 150ml water, and bubble for 5 mins until saucy. Return the chicken to the pan and heat through.
• Warm the tortilla wraps following pack instructions. Top the tortillas with the lettuce, chicken, and pickled cucumber and carrot.

VIETNAMESE CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper in a shallow plate and turn chicken in the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Combine water, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Set caramel sauce aside.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and pan-fry chicken, skin-side up, until bottoms turn slightly crispy and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until skin is slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Return chicken to the skillet and add caramel sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Caramel sauce should be reduced and turn amber in color. Add jalapenos and cook for 1 more minute.

CHICKEN SUMMER ROLLS

Steps:

• Whisk 1/4 cup rice vinegar with 2 teaspoons sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the chicken and carrot, season with salt to taste and set aside.
• Fill a large bowl with warm water. Working with 2 sheets of rice paper at a time (keep the others covered with a barely damp cloth to prevent curling), immerse the papers in the warm water until slightly softened (about 15 seconds). Remove and spread out on a clean surface or cutting board. Pat dry with a towel to remove excess water.
• Lay 2 pieces of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper, leaving about 1/2 inch clear on the edges. Place about 1/3 cup of the chicken-and-carrot mixture on the lettuce, top with 4 to 5 pieces of cucumber and scallion, several mint leaves and about 1 heaping tablespoon of rice.
• Roll up the paper halfway into a cylinder. Fold both edges in to tuck while continuing to roll the paper to seal. Place the rolls on a plate covered with a damp towel so they stay moist as you prepare the remaining rolls. Cut the rolls in half.
• Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of water and the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 2 teaspoons sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Serve the rolls with the dipping sauce immediately.