Nguyên Liệu

10 pieces of rice paper, large size 12" diameter, cut into quarters (if medium size rice paper of 8" diameter is used, cut into halves).

1 lb. ground pork (slightly fatty) or 1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 cup crab meat or shrimp, well mashed

1 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup mushrooms or wood ears (finely chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper, black or white

Cách Làm

Combine all ingredients for stuffing in a salad bowl.

In a large plate make a sweet liquid mixture of 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 cup of water.

Soak rice paper pieces in the sweet liquid and place on a flat counter to stand for 5 min.

Take 2 tablespoons stuffing, an put on rice paper. Turn the sides in a roll up.

Make about 40 rolls approximately 3 inches long and 1 inch diameter.

Deep fat (or oil) fry at 375F for 5 to 8 minutes or until done, and drain on paper towel.

Serve alone as hors d'oeuvres or rolled in lettuce (bib or romaine) and dipped into nuoc mam

Notes: Vietnamese rolls can be considered a national dish. The ingredients are mainly rice paper and stuffing which is a mixture of pork meat, chicken, shrimp, crab, onions, bean sprouts and mushrooms.

Every Vietnamese lady has her favorite way of making Cha Gio, so it varies widely in size, shape and tastẹ North Vietnamese sometimes make it larger and flatter; they wrap the stuffing instead of rolling it with rice paper. Some others make a very long roll and cut it into small pieces for serving. The Vietnamese in the South have their rolls 1" in diameter and 3" in length.

To serve as hors d'oeuvres or at a fancy dinner, we make small rolls, just enough for a small bit. The stuffing is also different from house to housẹ It may be a mixture of bean sprouts, onions, meat or egg instead of meat; or it may be uncooked shrimp and vegetables. A tasty stuffing is a mixture of meat, crab, shrimp, vegetable and mushrooms.

Rice paper is a thin sheet of rice cake steamed ađ dried in sunlight. Buy more than needed, because they are fragile and tear easilỵ Rice paper will keep for many months in dry, cool storagẹ It is available in Oriental food shops or Chinese grocery stores. If you can not find the Vietnamese rice paper, the Spanish one can be used in its placẹ In case you cannot obtain either of them, buy Chinese doily batter for spring rolls or wanton at Chinese grocery stores. To use doily, spread it on a flat counter. Moisten edges of doily with a mixture of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water. Put 2 tablespoons stuffing on lower edge of doily, turn sides in and roll. Vietnamese rolls can be make in advance and frozen before frying. If frozen after frying, they may be reheated before serving.