Ingredients
4 stalks lemon grass, chopped
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cloves garlic
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons grated ginger
4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless and butterflied
1 cucumber
1 carrot
1 bunch shiso leaves
1 bunch mint leaves
1 bunch Thai basil leaves
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only
1 package vermicelli noodles
Peanut Sauce:
2 tablespoons ginger - fresh and grated
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
1 lime, juiced
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 to 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter - (recommended: CB (Seattle))
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 to 6 tablespoons hot water
1 package rice paper wrappers
Directions
Marinade: Add the lemon grass, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, lemon zest and ginger to a food processor and pulse until blended. Add the chicken to a medium bowl and rub it with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat a grill to medium heat.
Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Then slice.
Julienne the cucumber and carrot and pick or tear the shiso, mint and basil and add them to a small bowl along with the cilantro leaves.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the vermicelli noodles and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and put them into ice bath to cool.
Peanut Sauce:
Add all of the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour it into a small bowl and set aside.
Soak 1 rice wrapper in a bowl of water, pull out when pliable, and put it on a flat surface. Add some cooled vermicelli noodles, some cucumber mixture and some chicken. Roll up and repeat with remaining ingredients. Arrange the rolls on a serving platter and serve with spicy peanut sauce.