Spring Rolls Vietnamese Style Recipe

(Cha Gio Viet Nam)

Ingredients : Serves 4-5

100 g

2 pieces

1 tablespoon

2 cloves

100 g

15 ml

1/4 teaspoon

1 packet

To Serve

A few sprigs

Bean thread vermicelli

Dried Chinese mushrooms

Black wood ear fungus

or 4 button mushrooms

Dried shrimps or 8 fresh shrimps,

finely minced

Garlic, minced

Carrot, grated

Onion, grated

Pork, minced

Nuoc Mam sauce

Black pepper

Egg, beaten

Round Banh Trang rice paper

Vegetable oil for frying

Webb or round lettuce

Coriander leaves

Mint leaves

Nuoc Mam dipping sauce

Method :

Soak the vermicelli in boiled water slightly cooled until soft and drain thoroughly. Cut with kitchen scissors to make shorter strands.
Soak the Chinese mushrooms and black wood ear fungus in boiled water that has cooled slightly. When soft, drain thoroughly, gently squeezing out any excess water. Cut finely. If using button mushrooms, wash, drain and chop finely.
Soak the dried shrimps or shrimp in boiled water that has cooled slightly until soft and then drain thoroughly. Mince finely. If using fresh shrimps, wash, drain and mince.
Place the vermicelli, garlic, carrot, onion, black wood ear fungus, mushrooms, dried shrimps or shrimps, minced pork, Nuoc Mam sauce, black pepper and egg in a large mixing bowl.
With your hands, mix all the ingredients thoroughly until the mixture is stiff enough to be shaped.
Place some boiled water that has cooled slightly in a large bowl. Spread a clean tea towel on the surface you are going to roll on.
Take one piece of the Banh Trang rice paper, and dip it into the water. Place it on the tea towel.
Put some mixture roughly in the center but closer to the edge nearest to you.
Form the mixture into a sausage shape. Fold the bottom edge up and over the mixture, tucking it under the mixture securely. Fold the left and right sides over and then continue rolling away from you. If one piece of round rice paper tears then use two, one on top of the other.
When all the rolls are ready, heat the oil until hot in a large frying pan.
Shallow fry, turning frequently, until the mixture is cooked, taking care not to burn the rice paper. If you wish to deep fry, put less filling in the rolls to ensure it is thoroughly cooked before the outside burns. Drain on kitchen paper.
Place the rolls in the centre of a lettuce leaf, with some mint and coriander. Roll up and dip into the dipping sauce while still hot.