Imperial Roll

A rice paper shell that cracks under the teeth, revealing a steaming and juicy pork and shrimp filling. The aroma of reduced fish sauce and crunchy vegetables dominates.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 519
• Protein: 20 g
• Carbs: 27 g
• Fat: 35 g

Ingredients

• 250 g Ground pork ( fresh )
• 100 g Shrimp ( peeled and chopped )
• 50 g glass noodles ( dried )
• 20 g wood ear mushroom ( rehydrated and chopped )
• 1 piece Carrot ( finely grated )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely minced )
• 100 g Mung bean sprouts ( chopped )
• 1 piece Egg ( whole )
• 2 tbsp fish sauce ( pure )
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 12 piece rice paper ( large size )
• 750 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 1 pinch White sugar

Instructions

1. Preparation of the filling

   Rehydrate the soy vermicelli and black mushrooms in warm water. Coarsely chop them. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, finely diced shrimp, chopped onion, grated carrot, and bean sprouts. The filling should be well-mixed.

2. Seasoning and binding

   Incorporate the whole egg into the filling to bind it together. Add the fish sauce, white sugar, and ground black pepper. Work the mixture by hand so the flavors are evenly distributed.

3. Rolling

   Dip a rice paper sheet in warm water until soft. Place it on a damp cloth. Place a spoonful of filling, fold in the sides, and roll tightly to avoid air bubbles that would cause the roll to burst during cooking.

4. Double frying

   Deep-fry the rolls in peanut oil at 150°C for an initial cooking. Remove them when they are firm but still pale. Just before serving, increase the oil temperature to 180°C and fry them again until the crust is golden and bubbly.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcrowd the pan; the rolls should not touch as they tend to stick together at the beginning.
• For an even crispier crust, add a spoonful of beer to the water used for soaking the rice papers.

Storage

Store in the fridge after the first fry. They freeze very well before the second frying.