Chicken Spring Rolls and dipping sauces

Chicken Spring Rolls and dipping sauces

From Ellen's kitchen, with thanks to Thai Kitchen and chow.com and allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

Fish Sauce:

• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp minced Thai chiles
• 3 tbs finely shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup warm water (optional)

Peanut Sauce:

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tbs Hoisin sauce
• 2 tbs lime juice
• 4.5 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs sugar
• 2.5 tsp chile-garlic paste
• 1 mashed garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Sweet and Spicy Sauce:

• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs chile-garlic sauce

For Sweet and Spicy Sauce:

• Stir vinegar and sugar together in small saucepan over medium heat, about 7-10 minutes, until sugar dissolves completely.  Add salt, reduce to low, and simmer until thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add chile-garlic sauce.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Wraps:

• 2 oz thin rice noodles
• 12 round rice paper wrappers (8.5" diameter)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup julienned peeled and seeded cucumber
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 12 leaf lettuce leaves with center rib removed

For sauce:

• Mix all ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add water, to taste, as needed.  May keep overnight in fridge.  
• Cook rice noodles as directed on package.  Rinse in cold water.  Drain well and set aside.
• Collect all ingredients within easy reach and spread a damp towel on counter.  Fill shallow dish (9" pie pan works well) with hot water. Submerge one rice paper wrapper in hot water to wet completely and gently feel with fingers when just starting to soften (I soaked the first one too long and it started to disintegrate, but then learned to leave them just a little on the "tough" side).
• Place softened rice paper wrapper on towel and center layer of lettuce, noodles, chicken, carrots, cucumber, and mint on top.  Fold like a burrito, rolling as tightly as possible.  Don't overfill.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 12 rolls.  
• Place completed rolls in container, covering tightly with plastic wrap as they will dry out quickly when exposed to air, and refrigerate Serve as is or cut in half just before serving.  Rolls can be made up to a day before serving.