DIY Vietnamese Spring Rolls

I've been working a lot recently (a girl with needs is a girl with deeds; damn you, #rhymescheme!!) and I'm usually already run-over by the weekend. I can't remember the last time I went out-out. I sound like your grandmother but it's true. Hashtag sadface. But really, there's nothing I look forward to more than the warmth of our living room and the comfort of my jammies. I live for weekends engulfed between my blankets and pillows while developing a horrible English accent in my head, all thanks to Downton Abbey. Surprisingly, my sister seems to have been sharing the same preference these days and I think it's a lot to do with winter peaking this February.

Goi Cuon or Shrimp Rolls, a very popular Vietnamese appetiser

We have very different work schedules and we never get to eat meals together on weekdays so I thought it'd be nice to take advantage of the weekend lockdown that winter has forced us into. We've sorta come up with a budding weekend tradition to have a sit-down for dinner on Friday or Saturday nights where we (or I) cook and stay in. RAGING WEEKENDS MUCH???

I was going through Instagram on Saturday morning on my way to work when I saw one of my friends post an after-drinking feed on some Vietnamese pho. While that was very appealing, I'm not as ambitious to make some. Instead, what caught my eye was lurking in the background: spring rolls.

What you'll need:
*yields about 10-15 rolls

• For the rolls:
• 1 medium to large sized carrot, peeled and then julienned 
• 2 cucumbers also julienned
• lettuce of your preference (I used Frillice lettuce)
• bean sprouts
  
• mint, amount to your liking
• coriander
• unsalted peanuts
• Vietnamese rice paper
• 300g grilled chicken dusted with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper (trying to eat healthy so I used breasts)
• 200g prawns sautéed in EVOO and a pinch of black pepper

Didn't know that "Julienning" a medium-sized carrot would take me a lifetime.

Bean sprouts don't really have a lot of nutrients but they taste so fresh! | My favourite kind of  lettuce.

Japan Problem #67: you've to comb the earth before you can find fresh coriander.

Grilled chicken breasts | Sautéed prawns in EVOO

• For the sauce: (trust your tongue as I never use any measurements)
• fish sauce
• lime
• white sugar
• water
• red chili pepper (I used red chili flakes)
• 1 jalapeño (optional) 

Had to Google the translation so I sound legit.

*Notice how I typed some of the ingredients bold as they mean crucial to the dish. It's rather a simple salad roll and you can add or subtract the vegetable and proteins you prefer however, the mint and coriander were truly the ones that brought it all together!

This was my first time to prepare it at home without my mum breathing down my neck. Despite coming up short on some ingredients (fresh coriander leaves) and lacking in rolling skillz,  safe to say, our Saturday night dinner was delicious with an added bonus of some warm sister-time between mouthfuls of spring rolls and gulps of apple juice.

I don't know if it's because I've become stingy conscious about my spending, but to me, eating IN is the new eating out. It's healthier where you can control the amount of ingredients you use (Also, it's feeding my current obsession now that I know I can recreate a favourite dish for the same price with better serves while garbed in my snuggie).

DO TRY THIS AT HOME! And if you've got some trust issues yet sorted out, here are some other reliable sources, too:

• ingredients
• sauce
• rolling skillz

Next up will be Banh Mi if ever I chance upon a good enough baguette.

Wow. I am a woman with ambition.