Goi cuon (summer rolls)

Gỏi cuốn, the Vietnamese "Summer Roll"

Most people around the world are familiar with Chinese egg rolls, and inrecent years Cantonese and Thai spring rolls have become popular as well. The version of these snacks in Vietnamese cuisine is the "summer roll," also known as "Vietnamese roll" or "crystal roll" in restaurants outside of Vietnam. Summer rolls are gaining popularity in the West as a healthy appetizer, as they feature fresh ingredients and are not fried.

Chả giò, fried Vietnamese pork rolls

The most distinctive feature of summer rolls is that they are not wrapped in wheat dough like egg or spring rolls, but actually are wrapped in a special kind of rice paper. Unlike the rice paper used for artwork or cigarettes, the edible paper used in Vietnamese cooking is made of pure ingredients like rice and tapioca flours, has been eaten in Vietnam for centuries.

Gỏi cuốn is traditionally made with pork, shrimp, and herbs, although every restaurant has its own recipe and vegetarian versions can be found. A close relative of the summer roll is known as "chả giò" in southern Vietnam and "nem rán" in the North. These are savory meat rolls (containing minced pork, mushrooms, and herbs) that are fried until the rice-paper wrapper is crispy and brown.