Recipe Of The Month

Recipe for Goi Cuan [C]

Ingredients for the dip

300g Chicken or Tofu(V)                                              1dsp sunflower oil

75g Vermicelli noodles                                                100g white sugar

8 Pieces Rice Paper                                                       1/2 tsp salt

50g Bean Sprouts                                                           25ml water

100g Carrots, shredded                                               15ml hot chili sauce

100g iceberg lettuce, finely sliced                          1dsp peanuts, crushed

8g mint leaves, roughly torn

10g sweet basil leaves, roughly torn

Serve with

Sprigs of fresh mint and iceberg lettuce

Cooking method;

To make spring rolls

Bring 2 saucepans of water to the boil. Soak vermicelli noodles for 25 minutes in cold water, until soft, and drain. Put noodles in a saucepan and boil for 1 minute; strain, run under cold water to prevent further cooking.

Bring other saucepan to the boil, cook the bean sprouts until soft, about 1 minute; strain, run under cold water. Cut chicken fillets into thin strips, if you are using tofu you can also cut into tin strips.

Heat the wok with the oil, add the chicken or tofu and toss until cooked, approximately 4 minutes for chicken, 2-3 minutes for tofu.

Dip rice paper into boiling water, one piece at a time, for 5 seconds and remove with a tongs before placing individually on a wet tea-towel and flatten. Layer a little of each of the ingredients horizontally in the centre of the rice paper starting with noodles followed by carrots, bean sprouts, lettuce, mint and basil leaves. Finish with the chicken or tofu on tofu on top and then roll it away from you, folding both sides as you start.

To make the dip

Put the sugar, vinegar, salt, and water in a saucepan bring to boil and reduce it until it begins to thicken. Let it cool slightly.