Shrimp & Avocado Rolls With Dipping Sauce

Serves 4
Prep time: 45 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredient for the rolls

• 2 oz. thin rice noodles (also called rice vermicelli)
  
• 4 lettuce leaves, center rib removed, halved
  
• 16 fresh mint leaves
  
• 16 fresh cilantro leaves
  
• 1 ripe avocado, flesh cut into 8 wedges
  
• 12 cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise (For a vegan version replace the shrimp with shredded carrots.)
  
• 8 8” round rice paper wrappers
  

Ingredient for the dipping sauce

(called nuoc cham, can be made ahead and refrigerated; it will keep for a month.)

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp sugar
  
• ½ tsp red pepper, crushed
  
• ⅓ cup hot water
  
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  
• 2 tbsp Asian fish sauce (The sodium counts for these recipes do take a big bite out of your daily recommended maximum of 2,300 mg. The culprits: soy sauce and Asian fish sauce. They're essential to the flavor of these dishes, but even low sodium versions have at least 550 mg per tsp. So on days you make one of these recipes, cut back on other sources of sodium.)
  

Preparing

• In a medium-size bowl, place noodles and cover with hot tap water; let soak until softened (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop in noodles; cook for about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well again and set aside.
  
• Arrange lettuce, mint, cilantro, avocado, and shrimp assembly line-style on a large platter. Gently squeeze noodles in paper towels to further dry them, and add to other ingredients.
  
• Fill a wide, shallow bowl with warm water and set it next to a cutting board. Gently slide one rice wrapper into the water; let sit for about 20 seconds to soften. Transfer wrapper to the cutting board (it will still be a bit firm); pat dry.
  
• Place 1 lettuce leaf half just below center of wrapper. Place a few tbsp of noodles and 1 avocado slice over lettuce; top with 2 mint and 2 cilantro leaves, then follow wrapping directions.
  
  • Arrange lettuce, noodles, avocado, and herbs just below the center of a rice wrapper.
    
  • Tightly fold the bottom of the wrapper up just to enclose ingredients. Place 3 shrimp halves in a row, pink side down, above the fold.
    
  • Fold in the sides and roll up to the top of the wrapper to form a cigar shape; press lightly on seam to seal.
    
  • Set the spring roll on a platter, seam side down, so shrimp shows through the top.
    
• Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 7 more rolls. Cover with a damp kitchen towel until ready to serve, or refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours.
  
• To make the dipping sauce: Use the back of a fork to mash garlic, sugar, and red pepper to form a grainy paste. Scrape paste into a small, heatproof serving bowl. Add hot water; let cool slightly. Stir in lime juice and fish sauce. Cut the rolls on a diagonal and serve with sauce on the side.
  

Nutrition score per serving (2 rolls, 2 tbsp. sauce): 236 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 41 g carbs, 6 g protein, 4 g Dietary fiber, 33 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 780 mg sodium