Vietnamese Tea Rolls Recipes

VIETNAMESE TEA ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add mushrooms, carrots, snow peas and bean sprouts, blanch for 1 minute, and transfer to a paper towel.
• Have green onions and basil leaves prepared.
• Boil 3 cups water, add 10 tea bags and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Remove tea bags.
• Pour tea into a low sided casserole and allow to cool.
• To assemble rolls, soak sheets of rice paper in tea for 1 minute, carefully transfer to a paper towel, let sit 1-2 minutes or until pliable.
• To assemble each roll, take a soaked wrapper, arrange 1/16th of the vegetables in a row on top of the wrapper, roll up rice paper folding in flaps after first turn.
• Add one basil leaf, keep rolling.
• Continue until all the rolls are finished.
• The rolls will keep in the refrigerator for 6 hours, tightly covered.
• To serve cut in half on the diagonal and serve with dipping sauce.
• To make sauce, pour boiling water over 6 tea bags, let steep five minutes, remove tea bags.
• Combine tea, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and green onions.
• Mix well and serve with wrappers.

CRISPY SPRING ROLLS (CHA GIO)

Steps:

• Combine the bean thread noodles, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and green onions in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the fish sauce, garlic, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Add the chicken and pork and using a fork, break up the meat, so it is thoroughly mixed with the seasonings. Add the noodle mixture and mix well. Set aside.
• Combine the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat and stir often to prevent sticking. If mixture seems too thick, add more water. This will be the "glue" to seal the edges of the wrapper.
• Cut the wrappers in half diagonally. You will have two equal triangles. Starting with the longest side toward you, place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom area of the triangle. Using your fingers, mold the filling into a cylinder 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Fold the two pointed ends of the wrapper in and roll to enclose. Dab a little cornstarch mixture along the edges (do not use too much "glue") and seal the roll. Set aside while you finish making the remaining rolls. Do not stack them.
• To fry, preheat a large wok or fry pan. When hot, pour enough oil in to completely cover the spring rolls. Heat to about 325 degrees. Carefully place the rolls into the oil. Do not crowd the pan or place the rolls on top of each other. Fry the spring rolls until filling is cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, turning often until they are nicely brown and crisp. If they brown too quickly, reduce the heat as the oil is too hot. Remove the cooked spring rolls from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and table salad .
• To enjoy a spring roll the Vietnamese way, put it on a lettuce leaf, top with cucumber and mint, and wrap it up. Then dip in Vietnamese dipping sauce.