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 taste. 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 house.
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 add dried in sunlight. Buy more
than needed, because they are fragile and tear easily. Rice paper will keep for
many months in dry, cool storage. 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 place. 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.
