Ingredients
Wrappers
- 25 sheetsbanh trang, rice paper
- or 25 wheat spring roll wrappers
Filling
- 400 gminced pork
- 200 gcrab meat or prawns, chopped
- 150 gtaro or jicama, grated
- 1carrot, grated
- 30 gdried wood ear mushrooms, soaked and chopped
- 60 gglass noodles, soaked and cut short
- 3shallots, chopped
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 1egg
- 2 tbspfish sauce
- 1 tspblack pepper
- 1 tspsugar
To dip the wrappers
- warm water with 1 tsp sugar, or beer
To fry
- oil, for deep frying
To serve
- lettuce leaves, mint, perilla, coriander
- nuoc cham
- pickled carrot and daikon
Directions
- Dip each sheet very briefly in warm water, no more than a second or two. Take it out while it still feels stiff, since it continues to soften on the work surface. Rice paper left in water for even a few seconds too long becomes a sticky mess that tears and cannot be rolled.
- Grate the taro and jicama and squeeze them out, since both hold a great deal of water. Wet filling steams inside the wrapper, softens it from within and makes the rolls burst in the oil.
- Soak them until pliable but not soft, then cut them into short lengths. Cut them short, since long noodles make the roll impossible to bite through cleanly. They absorb moisture from the filling as it cooks, which helps keep the wrapper dry.
- Trim the hard base and chop it finely. Combine everything and mix it thoroughly with your hands. Fry a small spoonful and taste it before rolling anything, since you cannot taste raw pork. Lay a wrapper down, put a line of filling near the edge closest to you, fold the sides in and roll it up firmly.
- Roll them firmly but not too tightly, since the filling expands slightly as it cooks. Now the size that they should be. Keep them fairly small, about the thickness of a thumb. Now letting them dry before frying. Lay the rolled cha gio out separately and let them dry for twenty minutes before frying. Drying the surface stops them sticking together and helps them crisp.
- Fry them first at a moderate temperature, around 150°C, for six to eight minutes. Lift them out and let them rest for at least ten minutes. Raise the oil to about 190°C and fry them again for two minutes until deep golden and blistered.
- Fry only a few at a time and keep them separate in the oil. Drain them on a rack rather than paper. Set out lettuce, mint, perilla and coriander in quantity. The fresh herbs against the hot fried roll is the entire balance of the dish. Serve immediately, since they soften as they cool.
Technique
- Rice paper gives the blistered shell; wheat wrappers are easier but different.
- Dip rice paper for a second only, since it keeps softening on the surface.
- Fry twice, low then hot, which keeps them crisp far longer.
Substitutions
- Wheat spring roll wrappers, which are far easier to handle.
- Jicama in place of taro, which needs no special handling.
Variations
- Nem ran, the northern version.
- Made with crab, as in the Mekong Delta.
- Made vegetarian, with mushroom and tofu.
History
Fried rolls called nem ran in the north; southern versions traditionally use crab and taro, and the rolls are wrapped in lettuce and herbs to eat.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cha Gio?
Cha Gio is a snack from Vietnam: crisp fried spring rolls wrapped in lettuce and dipped in nuoc cham. Fried rolls called nem ran in the north; southern versions traditionally use crab and taro, and the rolls are wrapped in lettuce and herbs to eat.
How long does Cha Gio take to make?
Cha Gio takes 1 hr of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 25 rolls. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Cha Gio?
Yes, within limits. Wheat spring roll wrappers, which are far easier to handle. Jicama in place of taro, which needs no special handling.
What is the most important thing to get right in Cha Gio?
Fry only a few at a time and keep them separate in the oil. Drain them on a rack rather than paper. Set out lettuce, mint, perilla and coriander in quantity. The fresh herbs against the hot fried roll is the entire balance of the dish. Serve immediately, since they soften as they cool.
