Recipe - Thai Mini Spring Rolls

2 ounce Bean thread noodles
(MUNG bean)
One fourth cup Dried tree ears; =OR=
6 Dried Chinese blk mushrooms
One half teaspoon Whole black peppercorns
3 Garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Fresh coriander roots
(coarsely chopped)
Three fourths pound Fresh ground pork
One fourth pound Shrimp
shelled, deveined & chopped
=OR=
One fourth pound Fresh crab meat, flaked
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 teaspoon Sugar
4 Shallots; finely chopped
1 Carrot; peeled, grated
One fourth pound Bean sprouts; tails removed
8 12inch ricepaper rounds
Peanut oil for deepfrying
Crisp lettuce leaves
(as an accompaniment)
Fresh mint leaves
(as an accompaniment)

THAI SPRING ROLL DIP
One fourth cup Sugar
One fourth cup Water
One half cup Red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon Fish sauce
One fourth teaspoon Red chile flakes
2 tablespoon Chopped coriander leaves
(fresh)
2 tablespoon Chopped peanuts

IN 2 SEPARATE MEDIUM BOWLS, soak bean thread noodles and tree ears in warm
water until soft and pliable (about 15 minutes). Drain the noodles and cut
into 1inch lengths; set aside. Drain and rinse off sand from tree ears.
Pinch off and discard hard centers; coarsely chop and set aside. Pound
peppercorns, garlic and coriander roots into a coarse paste, or chopped
together in a spice mill. Combine pork, shrimp or crab, fish sauce,
peppercorn mixture, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Add shallots, carrots,
bean sprouts, and the reserved bean thread noodles and tree ears; mix
together thoroughly. Dissolve remaining sugar with 1 cup water in a bowl.
With kitchen shears, cut rice paper into quarters. Lay one sheet of rice
paper with the curved edge nearest to you, on a flat surface. Brush
thoroughly with water. Let it sit until it softens into a thin flexible
film (about 1 minute). Mold 1 tablespoon of pork mixture into 1inch wide
by 2inch long cylinder and put it near the curved edge of rice paper. Fold
bottom of rice paper over filling. Fold left and right sides over each end
to enclose filling. Continue rolling until completely sealed. Repeat with
remaining filling. Preheat wok until hot. Add enough oil to a depth of
3inches. Heat to 325F. Add a few rolls and deepfry for 10 seconds.
Immediately increase to high heat or 375F and deepfry until crisp and
golden brown (about 6 minutes). Remove and drain. Serve wrapped in a
lettuce leaf with a mint leaf. Dip into Thai Spring Roll Dip.

THAI SPRING ROLL DIP: Combine sugar, water and vinegar in a saucepan over
mediumhigh heat; boil until reduced to Three fourths cup of liquid. Remove from heat
and stir in the fish sauce and chile flakes. When cooled, transfer to a
dipping saucer and mix in coriander and peanuts. Makes about 24 rolls with
sauce.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini