Spring Rolls With Thai Basil - rice vermicelli

Method

• With a knife, chop rice vermicelli (it tends to stick together in a block) into roughly 2-inch segments.
• Place noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them.
• Let sit until soft (1 to 2 minutes), then drain through a fine strainer.
• With a vegetable peeler, shave each carrot in thin, two-inch pieces.
• In a large bowl, combine noodles, carrots, sprouts, cabbage, scallions, cilantro, mint and basil.
• In a mortar and pestle, mash garlic, sugar, chiles and peppercorns to a paste.
• Whisk in lime juice and pour over vegetable mixture.
• Toss well so that dressing, vegetables and noodles are evenly distributed.
• In a pan large enough to fit rice wrappers, pour water about an inch deep.
• Submerge a wrapper until soft, slippery and flexible.
• Gently remove wrapper and lay it on a clean, damp towel.
• Place a heaping 1/2 cup of mixture an inch below center of wrapper and pat down.
• Fold bottom end of wrapper over mixture, followed by each side.
• Roll wrapped mixture up to top edge, creating a neat package.
• Place finished roll on a platter lined with a clean, damp towel and repeat until all the vegetable mixture has been used.
• Serve with cruets of rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sriracha (red chili paste), so that everyone can make a dipping sauce to taste.