Vietnamese Spring Rolls

This is such a fresh dish that it makes a perfect summer starter or canapé. Other raw veg can be substituted for those listed here. Add cooked chicken or prawns for a more substantial non-vegetarian snack. Makes eight large rolls.

For the dipping sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp water
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce (or, to make the dish vegetarian, light soy sauce)
1 lime, juiced

For the spring rolls

50g vermicelli rice noodles
1 tsp sesame oil
8 good lettuce leaves (little gem or romaine)
24 fresh basil leaves
24 fresh mint leaves
8 sprigs fresh coriander
1 carrot, peeled and cut into very fine strips
½ red pepper, cut into very fine strips
¼ cucumber, cut into very fine strips
6 sugarsnap peas, cut into very fine strips
6 radishes, cut into very fine strips
8 rice paper wrappers

To make the dipping sauce, put the vinegar, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and set aside.

Cook the noodles for three to four minutes (or according to the instructions) until al dente, drain and refresh under cold running water. Cut the noodles into small pieces and toss in the sesame oil.

Lay out one lettuce leaf on a work surface, and top with an eighth of the herbs (ie three leaves each of mint and basil, plus one coriander sprig), an eighth of the vegetable strips and an eighth of the noodles.

Soak one sheet of rice paper in warm water until soft and pliable. Place on a damp cloth and carefully lift the lettuce leaf and lay it on top of the rice paper. Roll the rice paper as tightly as possible over the filling, folding in the sides, to make a neat, tight parcel. Repeat with the remaining rice paper, lettuce and filling.

To serve, cut in half diagonally and serve with dipping sauce