Goi cuon Summer rolls with prawns, crab, ginger, and mint

Serves 4–6
3–4oz (100g) dried rice vermicelli
(thin rice noodles)
½ cucumber
12 cooked fresh prawns, peeled
and deveined
3 tbsp cooked crabmeat (use
fresh-picked crabmeat if possible)
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 scallions (green onions), cut into slivers
3⁄4in (2cm) piece of fresh ginger, grated
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Asian fish sauce
12 or so rice paper wrappers (available from
Asian grocers or gourmet food shops)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Put the vermicelli in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for
about 5 minutes while you prepare the rest of the filling.
2Thinly slice the cucumber, leaving the seeds in the center untouched. Stack
the cucumber slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. If wrapping your
summer rolls in a cone shape, leave the prawns whole; if using the more
traditional cylinder spring-roll shape, halve or finely slice if large. Mix everything
except the vermicelli and rice paper wrappers in a bowl. Drain the vermicelli, cut
into smaller lengths using kitchen scissors, and add to the bowl. Season with salt
and pepper, and mix again. Adjust seasoning.
3Soak the rice paper wrappers, about 5 at a time, in warm water for
20 seconds or until softened. (Be careful they don’t stick together, as they
tear easily.) Lay out 4 or 5 wrappers side by side on a clean damp tea towel on
a flat surface—this keeps the wrappers pliable. Place a tablespoon or so of the
filling on each wrapper about 1in (2.5cm) from the bottom edge and in the center,
leaving 1–2in (2.5–5cm) of wrapper on either side. To make a cone, fold one side
of the wrapper toward the center; to make a more traditional spring roll, fold
both sides toward the center. Fold the bottom edge facing you over the top of
the mixture and, using firm pressure, roll up so the filling is enclosed. (Top the
cones with a little extra filling if needed.) Place on a tray covered with another
clean damp cloth. Repeat the process with the remaining wraps and filling. To
prevent the wrappers drying out, cover tightly with plastic wrap until needed.