Cha Gio (Fried Spring Rolls)

Instructions

1. 1Place the about 57 g of glass noodles (mung bean noodles) in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let them soak until they are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Drain the noodles well and then chop them into smaller pieces.
2. 2Finely chop the 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup mushrooms (shiitake), and 1/4 cup onion. Set these chopped vegetables aside.
3. 3In a large bowl, combine the about 225 g ground pork, about 113 g shrimp, the chopped carrots, mushrooms, and onion, the chopped glass noodles, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until it is well combined.
4. 4Lay one sheet of rice paper wrapper flat on a clean, dry surface. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold the left and right sides of the wrapper inwards over the filling. Then, starting from the bottom edge closest to you, tightly roll the wrapper upwards to form a spring roll.
5. 5Repeat step 4 with the remaining rice paper wrappers and filling until you have used it all up.
6. 6Pour the 2 cups of vegetable oil into a deep fryer or a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C.
7. 7Carefully place 3-4 spring rolls into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry the spring rolls for 3-5 minutes per batch, turning them occasionally, until they are golden brown and crispy all over. The internal temperature of the pork and shrimp should reach 74°C.
8. 8Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the fried spring rolls from the hot oil. Place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat this frying process with any remaining spring rolls.
9. 9Serve the Cha Gio immediately while they are hot and crispy.

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