Rice Paper: Soaking, Rolling, Frying and Recipes

Types and sizes

In Vietnam, rice paper is called bánh tráng, and in the north also bánh đa nem. Makers spread a thin batter on cloths over steam, cook it briefly and dry the sheets on bamboo mats. That is where the grid pattern on many sheets comes from.

To start, one pack of round 22 cm sheets with tapioca starch is enough. It forgives most mistakes and works for fresh and fried rolls.

How to soak rice paper

1. Fill a large flat plate or pan with lukewarm water, about 2 cm deep. Hot water makes the sheet limp and sticky within seconds.
2. Set out a damp kitchen towel, a plastic cutting board or a large plate as a work surface. On dry wood the sheet sticks fast.
3. Pull a sheet through the water for 2 to 3 seconds so both sides get wet. It still feels firm afterwards.
4. Lay it flat on the work surface and wait 20 to 30 seconds. In that time it absorbs the remaining water and turns pliable.
5. Soak only one sheet at a time, finish rolling it, then take the next.

Sheets with tapioca need closer to 2 seconds, pure rice sheets closer to 3 to 4. Test with the first sheet and adjust the time.

Rolling summer rolls

1. Put a lettuce leaf on the lower third of the sheet. It protects the paper from sharp ingredients.
2. On top goes a small handful of cooked rice noodles, strips of cucumber or carrot and herbs such as mint, cilantro and Thai basil.
3. Fold the lower edge over the filling and roll it up tightly once.
4. Now lay shrimp halves in a row on the free part of the sheet, red side down. After rolling, they show through the paper.
5. Fold in the sides and roll to the end. The moist paper sticks to itself, so you need no glue.

40 to 50 g of filling per roll is enough. With more, the sheet tears. You find the basic recipe at Gỏi Cuốn with shrimp, which goes well with a peanut sauce or a dip of fish sauce, lime and sugar.

Frying rice paper

For Chả Giò, the Vietnamese spring rolls, you roll the filling of ground meat, glass noodles, mushrooms and carrot tight and firm. Pure rice paper or net rice paper browns most beautifully.

1. Moisten the sheets only briefly. Some cooks brush them with water in which a little sugar or vinegar is dissolved. The sugar gives an even brown color.
2. Roll tight and without air pockets, or the roll bursts in the oil.
3. Let the rolls dry for 10 to 15 minutes on a rack. They must not touch.
4. Heat oil to 160 to 170 °C (320 to 340 °F) and fry the rolls in small batches for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. At a higher temperature, the wrapper browns before the filling is cooked.
5. For extra crispness, fry them a second time briefly at 180 °C (355 °F).

In an air fryer, brush the rolls with oil and cook them at 180 °C (355 °F) for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning them halfway. The wrapper turns crisp but less bubbly than in oil. Vietnamese cooks wrap the finished rolls in lettuce and herbs and dip them in Nước Chấm, as with Bún Nem with rice noodles.

More recipe ideas with rice paper

• Bánh Tráng Nướng: a sheet toasted in a pan or over embers, topped with quail egg, scallion and dried shrimp. In Vietnam it is called "Vietnamese pizza".
• Bánh Tráng Cuốn: rice paper rolls with shrimp that everyone at the table rolls for themselves.
• Nem Nướng: grilled pork sausages that you wrap in rice paper with vegetables and herbs.
• Nama Harumaki: the Japanese version of the summer roll, often with sesame sauce.

You find more ideas from Vietnam under Vietnam street food.

Common mistakes

• Soaked too long: The sheet goes limp, sticks to your fingers and tears. It keeps softening on the board, so pull it out earlier than you think.
• Filling too wet: Dripping herbs or noodles soften the paper from the inside. Spin the lettuce dry and drain the noodles well.
• Rolls touching: Fresh rolls stick together and tear when you pull them apart. Lay them apart on a plate or wrap each in plastic wrap.
• Fresh rolls in the fridge: The wrapper turns hard and tough there. Eat summer rolls within two to three hours and cover them with a damp towel until then.
• Frying oil too hot: Dark outside, raw inside. Stick to 160 to 170 °C (320 to 340 °F).

Buying, storing, allergens

You can find rice paper on the Asian shelf of well-stocked supermarkets, and a wider choice of sizes and types at an Asian grocery store and online. Packs usually hold 30 to 50 sheets. Dry and tightly sealed, rice paper keeps a long time, and the pack shows the best-before date. Seal opened packs in a bag so the sheets do not absorb moisture and break.

Rice paper made of rice and tapioca contains no gluten. Still, read the ingredient list, because some types contain wheat flour. The fillings and dips often bring fish, crustaceans, soy and peanuts.