You all know how much I love to share recipes and love all of the cuisines of other countries. 
One of my favorite restaurants in Starkville is Thai Siam, a Starkville staple since 2011. A few weeks ago, I met with the manager, Phikulthong Chanachai (pronounced Pea-cool-chong Cha-nah-chai), whose name means “Golden Flower.”
Chanachai, who is also the restaurant’s supervisor of food and a jack-of-all-trades, originally hails from the Thailand countryside. However, she spent most of her life right next door to Starkville, in Columbus.
The Chanachai family has two restaurants in addition to Thai Siam; another Thai restaurant in Columbus, and a noodle shop in Tupelo.
At our meeting, Chanachai taught me how to make Thai Siam’s fresh spring rolls.
The spring rolls are not only delicious, but they also will not break the bank. They are healthy, can easily be vegan and can be served with any dipping sauces desired. They are traditionally served with a peanut oil type sauce, but, if you are like me and have peanut allergies, you can serve them with a sweet pepper dressing. 
If you are looking for something super easy, hit the dollar store for some soy sauce and put it in small soy bowls for a nice presentation.
This recipe is cool because if you set the ingredients out beforehand, you could make it in front of guests. Not many people know how to make spring rolls, so the process can impress others. Before you make this recipe, put on your imaginary chef hat—this appetizer will make people think you actually know what you are doing in the kitchen.
If you are on a time crunch, I suggest visiting Asian Market, which is directly across from Pizza Hut on Highway 12. This is the one store where you can get all the ingredients in one place, and, if you are lucky, you can get bags of shredded lettuce and carrots.
If you have plenty of time, it is cheaper to get the veggies and shrimp from Walmart. If you or your guests do not eat seafood, the shrimp can be replaced with miso or tofu.
This recipe can make between six to eight spring rolls depending on how you cut the rice paper.
Ingredients
1 pack of rice paper
1 pack of rice noodles
1 couple sprigs of bean sprouts
Herbs like cilantro, basil or parsley, to taste
Lettuce
Shredded carrots
1 small bag of shrimp
Instructions

1. Soak rice paper in warm water, one sheet at a time.
2. At the same time, cook shrimp if they are not precooked.
3. In a different bowl or pot, soak noodles in hot or boiling water until they are soft.
4. Put the rice paper on a large plate or another flat surface, like a cutting board.
5. Layer the cold ingredients on rice paper in any way you like—make sure not to overfill it.
6. Use the same filling strategy you would use when filling a soft taco.
7. Carefully fold the sides of the rice paper into the center.
8. Tuck in the sides, then roll up from the bottom.
9. Cut off the excess.
10. Serve while hot.