Article by Gil "hannaone"
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Image by hannaone

월남쌈

Wollamssam, Spring Roll, Fresh Roll, or rice paper wraps.
During the Vietnam War South Korea sent a number of troops and medical personnel to Vietnam. When these veterans returned to Korea, they brought a taste for some Vietnamese foods with them. One of these was the Vietnamese Spring roll (rice paper wrap).
These rolls were adapted for Korean taste and became very popular.
There are quite a few versions of this Korean/Vietnamese fusion dish, some very close to the Vietnamese original, and some widely deviant.
This is a version we have made for many years.
Servings: 6
Recipe Type: Appetizer, Fusion, Main Dish, Snack, Wrap

Ingredients:
2 eggs
4 ounces dangmyeon (sweet potato) or rice noodles
2 medium cucumbers
2 medium tomatoes
2 medium avocados
12 ounces Korean Marinated beef, chicken, or pork*
1 pkg imitation crab (leg style)
1/2 head lettuce
1 pkg rice paper wraps
4 green chili peppers (hot, sweet, or both)

*Marinated Meat:
12 ounces Sliced steak, chicken thigh, or pork shoulder
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon mulyeot or corn syrup
1 clove minced garlic

Optional Additions:
ham strips
spam
hot dogs
shrimp
sesame leaves
Perilla/wild sesame leaves (kkaennip 깻잎)
par boiled spinach
blanched bean sprouts
Thai basil leaves
Cilantro
Asparagus spears
Korean cabbage strips
Pickled Korean radish

Sauce: (per person)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon prepared wasabi or Chinese style hot mustard

Directions:
Selecting the Vegetables:
Cucumbers: Two medium cucumbers should weigh roughly 1 pound, with dark green flesh and no soft spots.
Tomatoes should weigh about 14 ounces and should be a firm variety that can stand slicing.
Avocados should be firm but not hard, without blemishes or mushy spots.
While any type of lettuce can be used, iceberg is probably better because it is crisp. Lettuce should weigh about 1 pound for a small head.
Peppers should be a uniform green or shading from green to red depending on ripeness of the pepper. They should not have yellow blotches, wrinkled skin, or soft spots.

Egg:
Crack eggs into a bowl and whip together lightly.
Spread the eggs in a thin sheet in a pan over medium low heat.
Cook until the top is just beginning to set, then flip and finish cooking.
Repeat until all egg is cooked.
Set aside and let cool.
Once cool, cut into strips about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.

Dangmyeon Noodle:
Soak the noodles in cold to room temperature water for about half an hour.
Bring about one quart to a rapid boil, add the noodles and cook to desired texture (2 to 5 minutes).
Rinse immediately in cold water.

Rice Noodle:
Bring about 1 quart of water to a full boil.
Reduce heat to medium, dropping the water to a fast simmer/low boil, then add the rice noodles.
Cook until desired texture. (1 to 4 minutes)
Rinse immediately in cold water and let drain.

Marinated beef, chicken, or pork:
Beef - Thin cut (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) rib steak works really well, but you can use any thin cut you prefer.
Chicken - Chicken thigh has the most flavor, but any portion of the chicken that be cut from the bone may be used.
Pork - Thin cut pork shoulder or slices of pork belly work very well, but again, any raw, uncured cut you prefer can be used.
Mix all marinade ingredients and let stand about 10 minutes before use.
Marinate for half an hour then fry, grill, broil, or air fry to desired "doneness".
Cut into strips about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide.

Vegetables:
Peel the cucumber, then cut in half lengthwise and gently scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the cucumber into strips about 1/4 inch wide and about 4 to 5 inches long.
Cut the avocado in half from top to bottom and remove the seed. Cut each half into quarters and remove the peel.
Cut the tomato in half from top to bottom, then cut each half into quarters.
Shred 1 half of a small head of lettuce.
Remove the stem from the chili peppers, then slice on a bias (diagonal).
Arrange all fillings on a platter.

Making Wrap:
Just prior to assembling wrap: Soak one sheet at a time in very warm water for 2 to 5 seconds. The sheet will become limp quickly. Do not oversoak.
Place a single sheet on a plate, then put desired fillings near the closest edge to you. Add sauce if desired.
Fold a portion of the sheet over the filling then fold both sides over to close the ends, then roll gently so as not to tear the sheet.
Eat and enjoy.