Ba Nams Cha Gio Recipes

CHA GIO (VIETNAMESE FRIED SPRING ROLLS)

Steps:

• Soak the dried mung bean noodles in warm water (submerge them completely) for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly, and cut into ¼ inch pieces.
• In a large bowl, combine the noodles, ground pork, grated carrot, chopped wood ear mushrooms, shallots, garlic, ginger egg white, fish sauce, vegetable oil, salt, white pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix until everything is uniformly combined.
• In a large, shallow bowl or deep plate, dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar in 1 cup warm water. Sugar is optional but does help the spring rolls to brown when frying.
• To wrap each roll, place a rice paper wrapper into the sugar water for about 5-10 seconds, making sure it is completely submerged. Remove it from the water. It will still be quite firm, but it will soften quickly!
• Place about 40g of filling in a log shape on one side of the wrapper. Begin tightly folding the wrapper over the filling (no air bubbles!), and roll the spring roll forward 1 complete revolution. Lightly press down on each end of the filling to flatten the rice paper and push the filling together to eliminate any air bubbles.
• Fold one side of the wrapper towards the middle of the spring roll. Repeat with the other side. Roll the spring roll forward while tucking in the front to prevent air pockets. The rice paper wrapper will stick to itself. It doesn't require anything additional to seal. Place the rolls on a plate or sheet pan lined with a clean, dry kitchen towel or parchment paper.
• Once wrapped, transfer the spring rolls to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour, so they can dry out and firm up. This step helps minimize the wrapper bubbling when frying (though bubbling is normal). Take them out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before frying.
• Heat about 3 cups of canola or vegetable oil in a medium pot to 335°F/170°C (the oil level should be a little over halfway up the sides). Fry the spring rolls in small batches-about three at a time. Make sure they do not touch just after they are placed in the oil as the skins will be sticky until a crust forms. Cook each batch for 5 to 6 minutes, or until light golden brown. (Frying them in small batches prevents them from sticking to each other.)
• Use a metal slotted spoon to pull them out of the oil. Drain on a rack, and continue frying. Maintain the correct oil temperature by periodically adjusting your heat.
• When ready to serve, refry the spring rolls (yes, they need to be fried twice) at 350°F/175°C for 1 ½ to 2 minutes to make them nice and crispy. Double-frying is important! Serve with fresh lettuce, cilantro, Thai basil, mint and nuoc cham for dipping.

CHA GIO VIETNAMESE EGG ROLLS

Steps:

• Soak vermicelli and shiitake mushroom in warm water until pliable, about 15 minutes; drain well. Mince shiitake.
• Combine vermicelli, shiitake, pork, shrimp, carrot, shallot, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss well to break up pork and and evenly distribute filling ingredients.
• Lay 1 egg roll wrapper diagonally on a flat surface. Spread a scant 2 tablespoons of filling across the center of the wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in side corners to enclose filling. Brush egg on top corner of wrapper and continue rolling to seal. Make additional egg rolls in same manner.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer, wok, or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), or until a drop of water jumps on the surface.
• Fry egg rolls until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels or paper bags.

BA-NAM'S CHA GIO

Steps:

• Put dried shrimp in a small bowl and cover to a depth of 1 inch with warm water. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes. Do the same with the mushrooms and noodles.
• Pick over and shred crabmeat, removing shell and cartilage.
• Mix crabmeat and pork together in a large bowl. Add carrot, onion, garlic and black pepper, mixing well with your hands.
• Drain shrimp, chop coarsely and add to pork mixture.
• Drain mushrooms well, slice thinly and add to pork.
• Drain noodles, squeezing to remove all water. Chop into pieces no more than 1 inch in length and add to pork.
• Using your hands, mix everything together very well. Ba-Nam adds a little cornstarch if the mixture does not seem to adhere. When well mixed, set aside for 15 minutes.
• Take a deep pie plate into which a rice paper will fit comfortably and fill it with hot water. Dip a rice paper in water to soften it and spread it gently on a clean dry surface such as a cutting board. Put about 3 tablespoons of pork mixture, roughly shaped like a fat cigar, on the edge of the rice paper nearest you. Flip that edge over pork, then fold sides of rice paper toward center over the stuffing. Roll up securely. The damp rice paper will adhere to itself. You should have a firm and compact roll. Set aside on a plate and proceed with the rest of the rice papers.
• The cha gio may be prepared ahead of time up to this point but if you are going to keep them longer than 15 minutes or so, cover the plate with a dampened towel and refrigerate.
• To serve, arrange lettuce, cucumber and carrot attractively on a plate. Wash coriander and mint and remove thick stems. Arrange on the plate. Have a small saucer or bowl of nuoc cham at each place setting.
• Heat 2 cups of oil to the point that a bread cube browns quickly and rises to the surface. (A wok is preferable but a sauce pan with high sides will do. The oil should be at a depth of about 2 1/2 inches.) Add cha gio to hot oil, a few at a time, and fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.
• Serve cha gio on a bed of lettuce. (If they are large, cut into 2 or 3 pieces.) Pass vegetable plate separately. Each diner takes a lettuce leaf and rolls it around a cha gio, adding mint, coriander and so on as desired. Dip into nuoc cham before eating and in between bites.