Cha Gio

Ingredients

• 0.5 ounces dried wood ear mushrooms
• 1.5 ounces mung bean vermicelli (bean thread noodles)
• 6 ounces shrimp – finely chopped
• 1 pounds ground pork
• 6 ounces jicama – coarsely shredded
• 4 ounces carrot – coarsely shredded
• 2 ounces shallot – finely chopped
• 2 each scallion – finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 each egg – lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoons sugar
• 0.5 teaspoons black pepper
• 24 each rice paper wrappers (8.5-inch rounds)
• 6 cups neutral oil
• 0.25 cups fish sauce
• 0.25 cups sugar
• 0.5 cups warm water
• 0.25 cups lime juice
• 1 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 each Thai bird chile – thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons carrot – finely shredded
• lettuce leaves – for serving
• fresh herbs (mint, perilla, cilantro) – for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in hot water until fully rehydrated, 15–20 minutes; drain, rinse, and finely chop.
2. Soak the mung bean vermicelli in hot water until pliable, 10–12 minutes; drain well and cut into 1-inch pieces with scissors.
3. Prep the vegetables and aromatics: coarsely shred the jicama and carrot; squeeze the shredded jicama firmly in a clean towel to remove excess moisture. Finely chop the shallot and scallions, and mince the garlic.
4. Make the filling: in a large bowl combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, chopped wood ears, cut vermicelli, jicama, carrot, shallot, scallions, and minced garlic. Add the lightly beaten egg, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper. Mix vigorously by hand until the mixture looks sticky and cohesive, 1–2 minutes.
5. Set up to roll: fill a wide shallow bowl with warm water. Place a clean, damp kitchen towel on your work surface and keep the rice paper wrappers covered to prevent drying.
6. Roll the cha gio: working one at a time, dip a rice paper wrapper in warm water for 1–2 seconds and lay it on the damp towel. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in a short log near the bottom third. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in the sides snugly, then roll up tightly to a neat cylinder, pressing the seam to seal. Repeat to make about 24 rolls.
7. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 325°F/165°C. Fry the rolls in batches without crowding, seam side down, turning occasionally, until light golden with small blisters, 5–6 minutes. Drain on a rack and let rest 5 minutes.
8. Increase the oil to 350°F/175°C. Fry the rolls a second time until deep golden, evenly blistered, and very crisp, 2–3 minutes. Drain on a rack.
9. Make nuoc cham: in a bowl, dissolve 0.25 cup sugar in 0.5 cup warm water. Stir in 0.25 cup fish sauce and 0.25 cup lime juice, then add 1 minced garlic clove, the sliced Thai chile, and 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrot. Adjust lime or fish sauce to taste.
10. Serve the cha gio hot with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs (for wrapping) and a bowl of nuoc cham for dipping.