Cold Shrimp and Vegetable Spring Rolls with Cashew Dipping Sauce

ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp (about 15), shelled and deveined
• 3/4 cup finely shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallion greens
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, or to taste
• 12 6.5 inch rounds of rice paper
• 3/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 3/4 cup finely shredded Bibb lettuce
• 3/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
• Garnish: coriander sprigs
• cashew dipping sauce:
• 1 cup unsalted roasted cashews (about 1/4 pound)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
• cayenne to taste

directions

In a saucepan of boiling salted water cook shrimp until just cooked through, 2 minutes, and drain. Let shrimp cool and cut into 0.25 inch pieces.

In a small bowl toss carrot with scallion greens, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Fill a small shallow baking pan or cake pan with warm water. Working with 4 sheets rice paper at a time, immerse them in water and let stand until very pliable, about 45 seconds. Carefully arrange soaked sheets in a single layer on paper towels to drain. Working with 1 soaked sheet at a time and keeping remaining sheets covered with dampened paper towels, put sheet on a clean dry work surface and arrange about 1 tablespoon coriander leaves in a horizontal line across bottom, leaving a 1-inch border on bottom edge and on each side. Top coriander with about 2 tablespoons shrimp pieces and top shrimp with about 1 tablespoon carrot mixture. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon lettuce, about 1 tablespoon sprouts, and salt and pepper to taste over carrot mixture. Roll up filling tightly in sheet, folding in 2 sides of sheet to completely enclose filling, and continue rolling.

Make more spring rolls in same manner with remaining 3 soaked sheets. Transfer assembled rolls to a tray and cover with dampened paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining 8 rice paper sheets and filling ingredients. Tightly cover tray with plastic wrap (keeping dampened paper towels directly on spring rolls). Spring rolls may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled.

Just before serving, with a serrated knife cut spring rolls in half diagonally. Arrange spring rolls on a platter and garnish with coriander sprigs. Serve spring rolls with cashew dipping sauce.

To make cashew dipping sauce:

In a food processor blend cashews with oil, scraping down sides, until mixture forms a paste. Add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth. Dipping sauce may be made 4 days ahead and kept chilled, covered. Return dipping sauce to room temperature before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.