2000s Recipes + Menus

Mango Shrimp Summer Rolls

Serves8 (first course)
  • Active time:1 1/2 hr
  • Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr
To achieve perfect layers in your rolls, carefully arrange each ingredient and wrap the rice paper tightly.
May 2003

For dipping sauce

  • 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce such as Thai nam pla or Vietnamese nuoc mam
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

For rolls

  • 12 large shrimp in shell (21 to 25 per lb), peeled
  • 3 oz vermicelli rice-stick noodles
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 (8-inch) rice-paper rounds plus additional in case some tear
  • 48 fresh cilantro leaves (from about 1 bunch)
  • 48 fresh mint leaves (from about 1 bunch)
  • 1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped; 1 lb), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
  • 3 scallions, cut into 3-inch-long julienne strips
  • 1 lb firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks

Make sauce:

  • Stir together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

Make rolls:

  • Add shrimp to a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water, then reduce heat and poach shrimp at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then return shrimp cooking water to a boil. Chill shrimp in ice water 2 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise, deveining if necessary.
  • 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.
  • Put a double thickness of paper towel on a work surface and fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Check rice-paper rounds and use only those that have no holes. Soak 1 round in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then carefully transfer to paper towels.
  • Arrange 3 shrimp halves (cut sides up) in a row across bottom third (part nearest you) of soaked rice paper. Spread 1/4 cup noodles on top of shrimp and arrange 3 cilantro leaves, 3 mint leaves, 8 cucumber matchsticks, 6 scallion strips, and 10 mango matchsticks horizontally on top of noodles. Fold bottom of rice paper over filling and begin rolling up tightly, stopping at halfway point. Arrange 3 more mint leaves and 3 more cilantro leaves along crease, then fold in ends and continue rolling. Transfer summer roll, seam side down, to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels. Make 7 more rolls in same manner and serve, whole or halved diagonally, with dipping sauce.
Cooks’ notes: Summer rolls can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered with dampened paper towels and then with plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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