Viet World Kitchen

How Vietnamese Rice Paper is Made

Now that you have a sense of how to buy rice paper and how to wrap rice paper rolls to create lovely summer rolls and cha gio imperial rolls, you may wonder if you should tackle making rice paper from scratch. It seems like an easy task as just a few simple ingredients -- rice, water, and salt are involved. So why not? Well, you may want to think again. I surely did when I first observed an artisanal banh trang producer in a small hamlet (it wasn't even an omelet!) outside of Phan Thiet (a city north of Saigon) in Vietnam.

She had been practicing her craft for decades and sitting in the same position for hours, day in and day out hurt, she told me. But, her livelihood and family depended on these skills, which she had honed to a seemingly effortless precision. Such level of culinary craftsmanship comes only from  having done something tens of thousands of times. (You have to cook 1,000 steaks to know how to do them just right!)

"Our rice paper is made by hand and are bigger than normal so we can sell them at a higher price than the factory-made ones," she told me. We ate some of the fresh, hot rice sheets and they were delectable. I could not bring any back to the U.S. with me and now regret it. Here is how this woman makes Vietnamese rice paper:

Rice grinding: Soaked raw rice is ground with water into slurry by this very simple machine. The trough at the bottom of the bucket is made of stone. The grinding mechanism, which the family had obtained just a few years before, spins very quickly, so much so that the walls are splattered by the rice and water mixture.

  

How to Wrap Rice Paper Rolls

Two methods for wrapping rice paper rolls.
(Top) Closed-end rice paper rolls. (Bottom) Opened-end rice paper roll.

Rarely does a week go by when I don't use rice paper. Called bánh tráng, rice paper is among the main staples in the Vietnamese kitchen. Think of all the goi cuon rice paper rolls (a.k.a, summer rolls and salad rolls) and the sinfully delicious fried imperial rolls called cha gio that you've eaten. They're encased in translucent rice paper. If you're new to Vietnamese food, chances are that someone else pre-rolled the rice paper rolls for you. Ever thought of rolling your own? 

If you’ve never wrapped with Vietnamese rice paper, don’t be daunted. Wrapping rice paper rolls is like making a burrito and you don’t have to be perfect. Buy some good rice paper (see rice paper buying tips for guidance) and then review these helpful hints before diving in:

Have water handy. To make rice paper pliable and usable, just use water. I typically fill a wide shallow bowl partway with water; a baking dish may be substituted. The water temperature depends on the type of rice paper. In general, thinner rice paper requires cooler water. When making hand rolls at the table, set out one or two communal dipping bowls for guests. If the papers require hot water, consider using a portable electric burner. Warm it up in advance and boil the water on the stove first. Then pour the hot water into a wide shallow pan and set it on the electric burner.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Buying Tips

 

Let me just start off by being honest: Buying rice paper confounds me. Whenever I have to purchase rice paper (bánh tráng) I find myself standing in the Chinese or Vietnamese market staring at the various brands. There are things that I look for in the labeling and there are brands that I prefer. However, there are usually so many different brands and several kinds that it’s hard to choose. Plus, hyper-competitive entrepreneurial manufacturers constantly tweak their products to attract customers so there seems to be something new to consider and try every time I shop for rice paper. Because I’m curious by nature, I tend to buy several kinds and test drive them.

Last week Laura C. asked me about how to buy rice paper for rice paper rolls that she fills with seared ahi tuna. (Sounds delish, no?) When I inventoried my cupboard and refrigerator, I discovered that I had 12 (!!) kinds of rice paper in various shapes, sizes, and composition. I purchased most of them in the U.S. but also have some that I brought back from Vietnam. There are many partially opened packages and each one brings back a cooking memory – mostly good and some disasters. So I’m taking time out to write about one of the most important ingredients in the Vietnamese kitchen. 

Since my mom and I eat lots of goi cuon (unfried rice paper rolls that are often translated as salad or summer rolls) cha gio (fried rice paper rolls often referred to as Vietnamese spring rolls), and meals during which we make hand rolls with rice paper, we are always sharing tips on what brand of rice paper is good. Some of you may need guidance as well or have advice to share.