Ingredients
| 1 recipe Shrimp Filling or Chicken-Crabmeat Filling |
| 1 recipe Lime Dipping Sauce |
| 1 12-ounce bottle warm beer |
| 7 to 9 8-1/2-inch-diameter rice papers |
| 1 head bibb or Boston lettuce, finely shredded |
| Snipped fresh cilantro |
| Snipped fresh mint leaves |
| Snipped daikon (Oriental white radish |
Preparation
| 1. Prepare Shrimp Filling or Chicken-Crabmeat Filling. Prepare Lime Dipping Sauce; set aside. |
| 2. Pour beer into a pie plate. Carefully dip rice papers into beer, one at a time. Place papers, not touching, on clean, dry kitchen towels. Let soften for a few minutes until pliable. |
| 3. Place 1/4 cup shredded lettuce on bottom part of each rice paper. Place about 1/3 cup filling on the lettuce near the curved edge of the paper. Fold in ends. Beginning at that edge, tightly roll up the rice paper. Place, seam side down, on a plate. Cover with a damp towel. Repeat with remaining filling and papers. Cover and chill up to 2 hours. |
| 4. Diagonally cut each roll in half crosswise. Transfer spring rolls to a serving plate. Serve with bowls of Lime Dipping Sauce, cilantro, mint leaves, and shredded daikon. Makes 14 appetizers. |
| Shrimp Filling: In a bowl pour enough hot water to cover 1 ounce rice sticks and 1 dry wood ear (cloud ear) mushroom. Let stand for 30 minutes to soften. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a wok or medium skillet. Add 1 tablespoon chopped green onion and 4 minced cloves minced garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup shredded carrot and 1/2 teaspoon sugar; stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Drain rice sticks and wood ear; finely chop. Add to vegetable mixture. Stir in 8 ounces finely chopped, cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. |
| Chicken-Crabmeat Filling: In a bowl pour enough hot water to cover 1 ounce bean threads (cellophane noodles) and 1/2 ounce dried black Chinese mushrooms. Let stand for 30 minutes to soften. |
| Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a wok or medium skillet . Add 6 ounces finely chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Push to side of wok. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 minced clove garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat. |
| Drain, remove cartilage, and flake one 6- or 7-ounce can crabmeat, or thaw, drain, and flake one 6-ounce package frozen crabmeat. Stir crabmeat and 1 tablespoon fish sauce into chicken mixture. Drain bean threads and mushrooms; finely chop and add to chicken mixture. |
| Lime Dipping Sauce: In serving bowl combine 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 6 tablespoons fish sauce, 6 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 minced cloves garlic, and 2 seeded and minced red chili peppers. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Makes 1-1/3 cups. |
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