Summer roll
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A summer roll or spring roll (Vietnamese: gỏi cuốn; literally "mix salad rolled") is a Vietnamese food consisting of pork, shrimp, herbs, rice vermicelli, and other ingredients wrapped in rice paper. Vietnamese Spring/Summer rolls are served cold, and are not fried.
On the menus of some Vietnamese restaurants, gỏi cuốn is translated into English as "spring roll." Some people believe the correct translation is "summer roll." However, gỏi cuốn literally translates as "mixed salad roll" as noted above. Both the names Spring and Summer are not literal translations of the Vietnamese counterparts, so this could just be seen as something fancy to customers to get more familiar with. These salad rolls are easily distinguished from other ones, by the fact that they are not fried and that the ingredients used are different. Summer Roll or Spring Roll are variants of different cultures. Thai also have their own version of the Spring/Summer Roll.
Summer rolls or Vietnamese spring rolls are normally dipped in either a simple sauce consisting of Hoisin sauce, garlic, peanut butter, and water which are pan-fried until well blended or a combination of fish sauce, garlic, sugar, lime, and carrot.
Although typically served as an appetizer in the West, summer roll is typically a snack in Vietnam. Unlike Chinese spring rolls, which are typically stuffed with pork/shrimp, cabbage, and bean thread vermicelli, and are always fried; Vietnamese Spring/Summer rolls are not fried and are served either cold or at room temperature.
They are commonly referred to in Australia as "cold rolls." In many Vietnamese restaurants in the United States, gỏi cuốn is usually known as "Spring Roll." However, this is not a mistranslation because as stated above, gỏi cuốn literally means "mixed salad roll". Both Spring Rolls and Summer rolls are just fancy names placed on these rolls and if translated does not mean either.
The dish is extremely popular among students in Vietnam (usually those in secondary school upward), as well as with adults. It is usually sold per unit which price can vary from roughly 10 cents (SGD)/6-7 cents (USD) to 50 cents (SGD)/ 37 cents (USD) even though it can be much higher in high class restaurants (this is only true in Vietnam).
Another important thing is the sauce, which is essentially half of the dish. The sauce is prepared firstly by frying chopped garlic and then adding in the finely ground fermented soybeans (it is a brown and thick liquid). Some water may be added in to reduce the thickness of the sauce as well as to reduce the saltiness. Sugar should be added in. The final product should not be too salty nor sweet. The sauce is served in a small bowl, with some ground peanut, freshly minced chili. Sometimes, strips of pickled carrot and radish are added in.
When consuming the roll, it is dipped in the sauce using hand (this is the only known method in Vietnam). Each bite usually has 3-4 teaspoons of sauce in order to fully enjoy the goodness of this dish.
Since the early 21st century, summer rolls have become a popular food item in Western culture. Summer rolls are now a regular part of many fast food outlets in the United States and Australia; while the ingredients have changed slightly to better suit Western tastes, the basics are still the same.
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