Vietnamese prawn summer rolls

• garlic cloves↗2

  finely chopped

• small red chilli↗1

  (deseeded if you don't like it too hot), finely chopped

• ginger1 tbsp tbsp
• golden caster sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• fish sauce↗3 tbsp tbsp
• lime juice
• vermicelli rice noodle↗100g g

  or bean thread noodles

• rice paper wrappers

  paper wrappers (see tip, below)

• mint↗

  leaves

• king prawns↗18

  cut in half lengthways

• iceberg lettuce leaves

  leaves, torn into 12 pieces

• carrot↗1

  cut into thin batons

• coriander
• Thai basil
• long chives
• beansprout50g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Make the dipping sauce by pounding the garlic, chilli, ginger and sugar together using a pestle and mortar, then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Alternatively, just blitz everything together in a mini blender.

2. 2

   Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 15 mins, then drain well. Assemble all the prepared filling ingredients – once you start, you will need everything to hand.

3. 3

   When you are ready to make the rolls, dip one of the rice papers in a bowl of hot water, moving it around until the whole wrapper is soft – about 10-15 secs – then drain on a tea towel.

4. 4

   Place a rice paper wrapper on a board and at one edge of the wrapper, add a few mint leaves, then 3 prawn halves.

5. 5

   Place some lettuce on top of the prawns, followed by some noodles, a few strips of carrot and cucumber, some more herbs and finally some beansprouts. Don’t overfill the pancakes or they will be hard to roll.

6. 6

   Lift the edge of the rice paper wrapper nearest to you over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly.

7. 7

   When you’re about halfway, fold the ends of the rice paper in and over the filling so that it is completely enclosed.

8. 8

   Keep on rolling tightly until the whole rice paper wrapper is rolled up. To serve, cut the rolls in half on the diagonal.