Châ Giò, Deep Fried Spring Rolls

What you will need:

200g minced pork or chicken

1 medium grated onion

1 grated carrot

50g mung bean vermicelli softened in boiling water for 1 minute and cut into 4-5 cm piece lengths

Optional; grated taro, about 100g

2 Tblspn soaked and finely sliced dried black woodear mushroom

1 tsp sugar

1 Tblsp fish sauce (nouc mam)

3 cloves finely grated  or crushed garlic

Fresh chopped coriander

Rice paper sheets, either round or square

Oil for frying (canola, peanut, soya, rice bran etc)

Optional; chopped fresh chilli

Fresh herbs like coriander, mint basil and baby lettuce leaves.

Method:

In a bowl, mix together carrot, onion, taro, lemon juice, sugar, fish sauce, garlic, coriander, chilli and minced meat.

Take a sheet of rice paper and wet it with some fresh clean water

Depending on the size of your rice sheets take a spoonful of the meat  mixture and place centre bottom of your rice paper

Roll the paper up and over the mixture as in the left photo, then fold in the sides and roll up into a cylinder. The rolls can be double wrapped, this helps to prevent bursting whilst frying in the oil.

In a wok or deep frypan, heat the oil until shimmering and reduce the heat to medium low, the oil should be about 160°C. Fry two or three at a time ensuring they don’t touch as they will stick together.

Fry until the spring rolls are golden brown.

Serve immediately with herb salad, bean sprouts, fish sauce, chilli and rice noodles. (The picture at the top of the page depicts some asian apple in fish sauce, sugar and rice vinegar, you could just as well use ribbons of cucumber, equally as authentic).