COLD SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS WITH CASHEW DIPPING SAUCE

Cold Shrimp and Vegetable Spring Rolls with Cashew Dipping Sauce image

Categories Food Processor Dairy Nut Shellfish Vegetable Appetizer Cocktail Party Yogurt Cashew Shrimp Gourmet Sugar Conscious Kidney Friendly Pescatarian Peanut Free

Yield Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp (about 15), shelled and deveined
3/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion greens
1 teaspoon rice vinegar, or to taste
twelve 6 1/2-inch rounds of rice paper*
3/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
3/4 cup finely shredded Bibb lettuce
3/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
Garnish: coriander sprigs
For cashew dipping sauce:
1 cup unsalted roasted cashews (about 1/4 pound)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
cayenne to taste
*available at Asian markets

Steps:

In a saucepan of boiling salted water cook shrimp until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes, and drain. Let shrimp cool and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
In a small bowl toss carrot with scallion greens, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Fill a small shallow baking pan or cake pan with warm water. Working with 4 sheets rice paper at a time, immerse them in water and let stand until very pliable, about 45 seconds. Carefully arrange soaked sheets in a single layer on paper towels to drain. Working with 1 soaked sheet at a time and keeping remaining sheets covered with dampened paper towels, put sheet on a clean dry work surface and arrange about 1 tablespoon coriander leaves in a horizontal line across bottom, leaving a 1-inch border on bottom edge and on each side. Top coriander with about 2 tablespoons shrimp pieces and top shrimp with about 1 tablespoon carrot mixture. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon lettuce, about 1 tablespoon sprouts, and salt and pepper to taste over carrot mixture. Roll up filling tightly in sheet, folding in 2 sides of sheet to completely enclose filling, and continue rolling.
Make more spring rolls in same manner with remaining 3 soaked sheets. Transfer assembled rolls to a tray and cover with dampened paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining 8 rice paper sheets and filling ingredients. Tightly cover tray with plastic wrap (keeping dampened paper towels directly on spring rolls). Spring rolls may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled.
Just before serving, with a serrated knife cut spring rolls in half diagonally. Arrange spring rolls on a platter and garnish with coriander sprigs. Serve spring rolls with cashew dipping sauce.
To make cashew dipping sauce:
In a food processor blend cashews with oil, scraping down sides, until mixture forms a paste. Add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth. Dipping sauce may be made 4 days ahead and kept chilled, covered. Return dipping sauce to room temperature before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.