Vietnamese summer rolls (goi cuon) and less-traditional wraps require no cooking after rolling. And you can tailor them to your tastes or what looks good in the market.

There are infinite variations, but the classic roll is made with a sheer rice-paper wrapper (banh trang) folded burrito-style around cooked shrimp and/or pork, shredded lettuce, bean threads (also called glass or cellophane noodles or rice vermicelli) and fresh cilantro, mint or basil. At the table, the rolls are adorned with a thin, garlickey dipping sauce.

The rice-paper wrapper and rice noodles are made from rice flour that is precooked, so all you need to do is rehydrate the sheets in water and briefly cook the noodles and shrimp or pork.

For a filling pupu to serve with beer or a light fruity chilled wine, try an Asian wrap, which draws elements from different traditions — Chinese dim-sum-style pork mixture, Thai basil, Vietnamese rice-paper wrappers — or serve the filling in lettuce leaves, another Southeast Asian idea.

Note that in both recipes, contrasting flavor and texture elements are used — something rich, something crunchy, something sweet, something salty. Both recipes lend themselves to innovation. And both can be the centerpiece of a roll-your-own party if you've got adventurous, food-savvy friends: Have a variety of ingredients pre-cooked and sliced, pile bowls with fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro and/or basil, but also bean sprouts, and washed and dried lettuce leaves. Have rice papers and a bowl of water on hand. Place these all along the center of a large table so folks can build their own wraps.

Here are suggestions and tips for making summer rolls:

• The vegetables can be barely sauted, lightly steamed or left raw. Leafy greens, cucumbers, carrots, beets, etc., can be shredded. Or cut firm vegetables such as carrots or the outer part of zucchini into fine julienne and saute until tender.
• Add fresh herbs such as basil or cilantro in the last stage of rolling so they show through the translucent wrapper.
• Soak a few more rice- paper wrappers than called for in case some of them tear.
• You can use a large, ripe mango in place of the avocado.
• Vegetarian summer rolls are easily made, substituting julienned smoked or baked tofu, or tempeh, for shrimp.

Summer rolls are best eaten right after rolling. Pair them with a fruity white wine with good acidity such as a crisp pinot grigio and follow them with few stir-fry dishes from your neighborhood Asian restaurant. End the meal with fresh fruit.

SHRIMP SUMMER ROLLS

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces rice vermicelli
• 12 (8-inch) rice-paper wrappers
• 1 large, ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• 18 large shrimp (about 3/4 pound), shelled, cooked and cut in half lengthwise
• 2 large carrots, finely shredded
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin strips
• 24 leaves basil, cilantro or mint
• Garlic dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and vermicelli, and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, and rinse in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Using scissors, cut the noodles into 2-inch lengths.

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Separate the rice-paper wrappers, submerge in the water, and soak until papers are opaque and pliable.

Remove and drain on paper towels. Arrange 3 wrappers on a dry work surface, keeping the rest covered with a damp towel.

Cut avocado flesh into strips 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inches.

Across the bottom third of one sheet of rice paper, place two pieces of avocado, about 1 tablespoon vermicelli, 2 tablespoons carrot and 2 strips red pepper. Fold up the bottom edge of the wrapper tightly, then fold in the ends and roll over once. Just before the last roll, place 3 shrimp halves and 3 basil leaves on the bundle and finish rolling into a tight cylinder. Place finished roll on serving tray, seam side down. Cover with lightly moistened paper towels while you fill the remaining wrappers.

Cut each roll in half diagonally with a serrated knife and serve with the dipping sauce.

Makes 12 servings.

• Per serving: 45 calories, 1.5 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 1.5 g protein.

GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

• 1/2 cup fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 1/2 cup water
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons Asian chili paste

Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake well. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

• Per (1 tablespoon) serving: 20 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 4.5 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 1 g protein.

These Asian wraps also lend themselves to variations.

• Use a mixture of ground pork, chicken and cooked shrimp.
• Add 1 or 2 chopped green onions.
• Increase chili sauce or add some Sriracha sauce (Vietnamese chili-garlic sauce) or sambal oelek (Indonesian red chili sauce) for spicy rolls.
• Increase garlic or add chopped ginger.
• Use cilantro instead of basil.
• Eliminate the fussy rice papers and just serve the wraps in a frilly green lettuce leaf (messy but easy and delicious).

ASIAN WRAPS

• 2 pounds ground pork
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water chestnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
• 4 tablespoons low-sodium shoyu
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or Chinese brown slab sugar (crushed)
• 1/2 cup fresh sweet or Thai basil leaves, minced
• Basil leaves
• Rice-paper wrappers

In large nonstick frying pan, brown ground pork with sesame oil over medium heat, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon. Turn pork into colandar in sink to drain off excess fat. If pork is coarsely ground, process briefly in food processor to break it up.

Return pork to pan over medium heat and add garlic, water chestnuts and onion, stirring to distribute. Mix together hoisin, chili sauce, shoyu, rice vinegar, mirin and sugars and pour over pork, stirring to distribute. Stir in basil. Taste and correct seasonings.

Working one at a time, immerse rice-paper wrappers in cool water for 20 to 30 seconds, until softened. Gently spread on cutting board or damp towel. Place a basil leaf face down in center of wrapper. Mound a generous tablespoon or so of pork mixture on top. Fold top and bottom of rice paper over pork; trim sides of rice paper with scissors and fold into compact bundle. Repeat until all pork filling is used.

Makes 24 servings.

• Per serving: 120 calories, 6 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 8 g protein.