Known as nem cuốn in North Vietnam and gỏi cuốn in the South, a cold rice paper roll filled with pork, prawns, herbs and rice vermicelli/noodles.

Found in Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey and Secrets of the Red Lantern.

Serve with hoisin dipping sauce and/or nuoc cham.

Makes 8 rolls (2 per person).

1. Cook the belly pork or pork neck by placing in a pan of cold water with 2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer until cooked. Lift out and leave to cool. When cool, cut across the grain into very thin slices.
2. Add the noodles to a pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil, remove from heat and allow to stand in the water for 1-2 mins until just tender. Drain and rinse in cold water to prevent them cooking any further. Drain again and leave to dry (ideally for at least 20 mins to allow the noodles to stick together).
3. To assemble the rolls, fill a large bowl with hand-hot water and dip a sheet of rice paper in the water for a few seconds until it softens and then lay on a damp tea towel. In the centre of the paper lay 2 crossed chives, and then place 3 pieces of prawn horizontally about 4 cm from the top. Below the prawns add some pork, lettuce, basil or perilla leaves, mint and vermicelli. Fold the sides into the centre over the filling, then the bottom of the paper up and over and then roll from bottom to top to form a tight roll.
4. Set aside under the damp tea towel until ready. Serve with nuoc cham and/or hoisin dipping sauce.