Chả giò (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

A golden crust that shatters upon biting, revealing a juicy filling where pork and shrimp mingle with the crunchy strands of wood ear mushrooms. The scent of controlled frying and pepper fills the room.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 672
• Protein: 28 g
• Carbs: 33 g
• Fat: 45 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Ground pork ( plain )
• 150 g Shrimp ( peeled and minced )
• 30 g wood ear mushroom ( dried )
• 50 g glass noodles ( dried )
• 1 piece Carrot ( grated )
• 2 piece Shallot ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( pressed )
• 1 piece Egg ( whole )
• 2 tbsp fish sauce ( pure )
• 1 tsp White sugar
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 20 piece rice paper
• 1000 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )

Instructions

1. Rehydrating dry elements

   Soak the wood ear mushrooms and glass noodles in lukewarm water for 15 minutes. They should feel supple to the touch.

2. Preparing the filling

   Finely mince the shrimp, mushrooms, and noodles. Grate the carrot. Mix everything with the ground pork, pressed garlic, minced shallots, and the egg to bind it all together.

3. Seasoning

   Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. The filling should be homogeneous and sticky.

4. Rolling

   Moisten a rice paper sheet. Place a spoonful of filling, fold in the sides, and roll tightly to avoid air bubbles that cause the roll to burst during frying.

5. Frying

   Submerge the rolls in 160°C oil. When they float up and the crust is rigid and golden, drain on paper towels.

Chef's tips

• Don't over-soak the rice paper; it should remain slightly firm to prevent tearing while rolling.
• For ultimate crunch, use double frying: first at 140°C to cook the filling, then at 180°C just before serving to brown the skin.

Storage

Keep for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in a pan or oven to restore crispiness, never in the microwave.