Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
  • 1 small red chilli (deseeded if you don't like it too hot), finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • juice 1 lime
  • 100g vermicelli rice noodle or bean thread noodles
  • 12 x 20cm round rice paper wrappers (see tip, below)
  • handful mint leaves
  • 18 cooked prawns , cut in half lengthways
  • 2-3 large iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into 12 pieces
  • 1 carrot , cut into thin batons
  • a handful coriander
  • a handful Thai basil
  • a handful long chives
  • 50g beansprout

Instruction

  • Make the dipping sauce by pounding the garlic, chilli, ginger and sugar together using a pestle and mortar, then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Alternatively, just blitz everything together in a mini blender.
  • Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 15 mins, then drain well. Assemble all the prepared filling ingredients – once you start, you will need everything to hand.
  • When you are ready to make the rolls, dip one of the rice papers in a bowl of hot water, moving it around until the whole wrapper is soft – about 10-15 secs – then drain on a tea towel.
  • Place a rice paper wrapper on a board and at one edge of the wrapper, add a few mint leaves, then three prawn halves.
  • Place some lettuce on top of the prawns, followed by some noodles, a few strips of carrot and cucumber, some more herbs and finally some beansprouts. Don’t overfill the pancakes or they will be hard to roll.
  • Lift the edge of the rice paper wrapper nearest to you over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly.
  • When you’re about halfway, fold the ends of the rice paper in and over the filling so that it is completely enclosed.
  • Keep on rolling tightly until the whole rice paper wrapper is rolled up. To serve, cut the rolls in half on the diagonal.