Gỏi Cuốn, or salad rolls, is a dish that is often served as part of an appetizer with many Vietnamese meals. With how simple they are, there are many ways to adjust the recipe to your liking. They’re a great option for any vegetarians, vegans, or meat-eaters alike! 

For me, I’ve always enjoyed my gỏi cuốn with shrimp inside and a side of my uncle’s peanut sauce that we all love. This dish is always one I’ve associated with my family and a sense of home. Since being in college, I don’t always have the time to go home for long periods of time to visit my family. I am a BIG family girl and tend to plan out time to see my parents, brother, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle whenever I do make it home. Pham family gatherings almost always take place at my maternal grandparents’ house, and it truly is the place I call my home. Since my visits can range anywhere from a few days to a few hours, something simple my grandparents prepare for us to eat is gỏi cuốn! To be honest, in the 22 years I’ve lived, I’ve never quite gotten the hang of how to actually fold the salad rolls. My first attempts always end up with one of the ends being a bite of just folded rice paper. That’s okay though. I know that I can just ask my grandpa to fold it for me and, before I know it, I have three or more in front of me ready to eat.

I hope everyone enjoys making this dish and fills it with whatever is right for them! Thanks for reading <3

-Maija Linh Pham, AYA Women of Color Leadership Liaison

https://www.instagram.com/aya_osu/

The recipe today’s healthy beaver bag is based on is located here : https://rasamalaysia.com/goi-cuon/ This link also includes a sauce recipe to try out if you have the ingredients or can shop for them. Below is the recipe summarized and formatted to match the ingredients in the bag.

Instructions for ingredients as packaged:

Prepare ingredients: Wash lettuce and trim ends, wash mint and cilantro to remove dirt and any discolored leaves, wash (peel if you’d like) and chop carrots into match sticks or thin pieces.

Cook the noodles (either rice vermicelli or mung bean thread noodles). Boil water, add noodles, cook for just a few minutes till noodles are softened and cooked through. Rinse with cold water, and drain well. Set aside.

To assemble rolls, set up a work station with ingredients ready on hand, a clean work surface such as a cutting board, and a large plate with water.

For each roll: Soak the rice paper for about 30 seconds on the plate of water, may need a few seconds longer. The paper should be flexible when removed from the water but not stretchy or floppy (that might mean it was soaked a little too long).

Place the rice paper on the work surface, arrange ingredients, fold up the roll.

Enjoy with peanut sauce