Why do my rice paper rolls tear?

Two common causes. The first is over-soaking: if the paper is too wet when you start rolling, it has no strength left. The fix is a shorter dip in the water. The second is overfilling. Keep the fillings in a tight, compact line and don’t pile them too high. The paper needs enough room to fold over and around without being stretched.

Can I use a different protein?

Yes. The sticky marinade works well with thinly sliced chicken breast, beef, or firm tofu. Prawns are also a classic filling for rice paper rolls. If you’re using prawns, just cook them simply with a little oil and salt rather than the sticky marinade, which can overpower the delicate flavour.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can prep all the components in advance and roll them up to a few hours before serving. Store assembled rolls on a damp-paper-lined tray, covered with cling wrap in the fridge. They dry out and harden if left uncovered, and the texture is best within a couple of hours of rolling. The pork marinade can be made and the pork cooked the day before.

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Sticky pork rice paper rolls

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Sticky pork rice paper rolls

Ingredient Notes

Rice paper sheets:

Rice paper sheets are thin, dry rounds made from rice flour. They soften quickly when dipped in water and become pliable and sticky. Find them in the Asian aisle at the supermarket or at any Asian grocery store. The key technique is to dip them briefly in cold water until just barely wet, then place them on the board. They continue to soften as you work. If they’re already completely soft when you start rolling, they’ll tear easily.

Pork loin:

Pork loin is lean and quick-cooking, which makes it well suited to a hot chargrill. Slice it as thinly as possible, around 3mm, so it cooks quickly and absorbs the marinade deeply. It must be fully cooled before going into the rolls, otherwise the heat softens the rice paper from the inside and makes rolling difficult.

Hot honey:

Hot honey is honey infused with chilli. It adds sweetness, heat and the sticky quality that helps the marinade caramelise on the chargrill. Most supermarkets stock it now, or you can make it by warming regular honey with a pinch of dried chilli flakes. If you only have regular honey, add a small extra dash of sriracha to compensate for the heat.