Last Updated on September 17, 2023
Satisfyingly rich yet fresh, these lobster rice paper rolls are not only delicious, but they also are an opportunity to make a quick dinner with really versatile ingredients like rice paper. Rice paper is a thin, translucent wrapper that originated in East Asia, particularly in Vietnam and China. It is made from rice flour, water and, sometimes, tapioca starch. When gently soaked in warm water, they soften and become the vessel for almost anything you could imagine. In this recipe, we hone in on freshness with leaves of basil or mint, sliced cucumber, buttery avocado and ButcherBox already-picked-for-you lobster meat. For dipping, a sweet and slightly spicy sauce is made with lime juice, sugar and oil. It’s inspired heavily by the condiment called nuoc cham.
Practice makes perfect here, and although rice paper has an intimidating reputation, mastering the fold is truly at your fingertips. Also, it’s also okay to unwrap and refold a roll if you’re not happy with your first attempt.
Ingredients
- 2 packages ButcherBox Cold Cracked Lobster Meat defrosted and patted dry
- salt
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped shallot
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 12 8¼-inch-round rice paper sheets
- 1 small head of lettuce leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup mint leaves or basil leaves
- 1 cup cooked vermicelli noodles
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 cup julienned Persian cucumbers
- 1 large ripe avocado halved and pitted
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt and poach the lobster until opaque and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain then rinse lobster under cold water, pat dry, transfer to a plate and set aside to keep cooling. Once chilled, cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, sugar, chili oil, sesame oil, shallots, fish sauce and coriander.
- Build the rolls 1 at a time. Fill a medium bowl with room temperature water. Dip and roll a rice paper sheet in the water, lift out, let excess water drip off and place the sheet on a plate.
- Across the bottom third of the rice paper sheet, place a couple tablespoons of lettuce and herbs, followed by vermicelli, carrot and cucumber. Fold the lip of rice paper closest to you over the filling, then tightly fold in the sides over that flap, place a slice of avocado in the lip followed by 3 to 4 pieces of lobster. Roll the package of filling away from you, encasing the filling and creating a roll. Cover completed roll with a damp towel so it does not dry out.
- Repeat with the remaining rice papers and filling.
- Serve the lobster and avocado rolls with the dipping sauce.
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