Pork and Shrimp Imperial Rolls

A rice paper shell that blisters and crunches, revealing a steaming filling where juicy pork meets the crunch of wood ear mushrooms. The aroma of mastered frying and fish sauce fills the room.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 412
• Protein: 24 g
• Carbs: 27 g
• Fat: 21 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Ground pork ( fresh )
• 150 g Shrimp ( peeled and hand-minced )
• 12 piece rice paper ( round sheets )
• 50 g glass noodles ( dry )
• 20 g wood ear mushroom ( dried )
• 1 piece Carrot ( finely grated )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely diced )
• 1 piece Egg ( whole )
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 500 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 1 piece Butterhead lettuce ( for serving )
• 1 piece Mint ( fresh leaves )

Instructions

1. Preparing dry elements

   Submerge the soy vermicelli and wood ear mushrooms in a large bowl of lukewarm water. Let rehydrate for 20 minutes until supple. Drain thoroughly and squeeze to extract all water.

2. Cutting the filling

   Finely mince the mushrooms and cut the vermicelli with scissors into 2 cm segments. Grate the carrot and finely dice the onion. Coarsely chop the shrimp with a knife to maintain texture.

3. Binding the filling

   In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, shrimp, vegetables, mushrooms, and vermicelli. Add the beaten egg, fish sauce, soy sauce, and pepper. Knead firmly by hand to obtain a homogeneous and sticky filling.

4. Rolling the rolls

   Quickly dip a rice paper sheet in lukewarm water. Place it on a damp cloth. Deposit a log of filling at the bottom, fold the sides toward the center, and roll very tightly. There must be no air bubbles under the skin.

5. First frying

   Heat oil to 150°C. Submerge the rolls without letting them touch. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes. They should be firm and cooked through but remain pale. Drain on a rack.

6. Final browning

   Increase oil heat to 180°C. Re-submerge the rolls for 2 minutes. The skin should blister and become uniformly golden and very crispy. Serve immediately with lettuce and mint.

Chef's tips

• Do not over-wet the rice paper; it should remain slightly firm when rolling.
• Push out all air while rolling to prevent the rolls from bursting in the oil.
• Double frying is the secret to a crust that stays crunchy for a long time.

Storage

Store for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes to restore crunchiness. Avoid the microwave.