- 4 cups water
1 bundle Japanese somen noodles (about 2 1/2 ounces), broken in half
Boil until the noodles are just firm to the bite, about 2 minutes. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the noodles to a colander; rinse with cold water.
Add to the still-boiling water:
16 medium shrimp, in their shells
Boil until they turn pink and float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, refresh with cold water, then peel and cut lengthwise in half. Rinse with cold water to remove the veins and drain on paper towels.
Place the noodles and shrimp on a small baking sheet along with:
4 large leaves red-leaf or Boston lettuce, torn lengthwise in half and central ribs removed
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
16 chives
Layout and cover with a damp dish towel:
Eight 12-inch round sheets rice paper
Lay a damp dish towel in front of you and have a large bowl of hot water (115 to 120 degrees F) at hand. Dip 1 sheet of rice paper into the hot water, being sure to immerse it completely. It will immediately become pliable. Quickly remove it
and place on the towel.
Place a piece of lettuce along the bottom edge of the rice sheet about 2 inches from the edge. Top the lettuce with one-eighth of the cooked noodles, carrots, sprouts, mint, cilantro, and chives, then with 4 shrimp halves.
Fold the sides of the rice paper over the filling, and then roll up tightly into a neat cylinder. Set seam side down on a large platter and cover with a damp towel to keep moist. Repeat with the remaining rice paper and filling ingredients.
To serve, cut each roll crosswise into 4 even pieces. Serve immediately or the rice paper will toughen up.