Shrimp Spring Rolls

Preparation

For the noodles:
Boil water in a medium size sauce pan and add the bean thread noodles. Stir them up a bit and cook for about 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft, slippery, and translucent. When the noodles are done, rinse them in cold water. Set aside.

For the veggies and shrimp:
Thinly slice the carrots, cucumber and green onions into 4-inch strips. Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. Set aside for just a moment while preparing the spring roll wrappers.

For the spring rolls:
Fill a large shallow bowl with hot water (hot tap water should be fine). Put the entire spring roll wrapper in the hot water for about 20 seconds or until it starts to get soft. Gently remove the wrapper from the water and lay it flat on to a plate or cutting board.

Set out all of the other ingredients by the spring roll wrapper. You may need to give the cooked bean thread noodles another quick rinse.

Lay a piece of the lettuce on the spring roll wrapper just under the top (closest to you) center of the wrapper. Then top the lettuce with small portions of the bean thread noodles, cucumbers, bean sprouts, cilantro, green onion, and carrot. Put the carrot on last so it will show through the wrapper after rolling it.

Gently roll the wrapper once over the veggies (just one roll as tightly as possible). Then lay 2 pieces of shrimp face down (with the colorful side down) so each piece is lying just in front of the veggies and just under the first roll. Tuck in each piece of shrimp just a bit so they are between the piece of lettuce and the spring roll wrapper (this will be a “window” that will show off the pretty colors of the shrimp after rolling it).

Next fold over one side of the wrapper in about 1 inch. Then fold over the other side of the wrapper in about 1 inch. Continue rolling the wrapper to form the spring roll.

The spring roll can be served whole or cut diagonally. Serve with peanut sauce, soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.