Cha Gio (Deep Fried Spring Rolls)

A very common appetizer that is loved by many, Spring rolls are delicacies that will indeed increase your appetite and make you crave for more! Spring rolls are usually made with thinly rolled sheets of dough that are stuffed with minced meat and vegetables. The sheets are rolled and fried to crispy perfection. There are many variations to spring rolls and the Vietnamese versions are enjoyed more by food lovers around the globe! The fried Vietnamese Cha Gio is one of such variations which is commonly served resort establishments the likes of PARKROYAL Saigon and they are better known as crispy deep-fried rice paper rolls filled with vegetables and minced pork or seafood. If you are curious to know how it tastes, here is a recipe using which you can prepare this dish from the cosy confines of your home. Ingredients

•	70 grams of Rice Paper

•	80 grams of Tiger Prawn

•	20 grams of Crab Meat

•	40 grams of Minced Pork

•	40 grams of Cleaned Squid

•	20 grams of Big Indian Taro

•	0.3 grams of Ear Mushroom

•	50 grams of Lettuce Da Lat

•	30 grams of Vietnamese Herb

•	15 grams of Big Red Chilli

•	10 grams of Shallot

•	10 grams of Garlic

•	15 grams of Lemon

•	20 grams of Sugar

•	0.5 grams of Salt

•	0.5 grams of Ajinomoto	(MSG)

•	20 ml of Soya Oil

•	10 ml of White Vinegar

•	20 ml of Fish Sauce

Steps for preparation

1. Wash the taro, peel off the skin then cut into thin strips.

2. Wash the squids and cut them into thin strips; shell off the prawns and chop them into cubes.

3. Put the ear mushrooms in boiling water for 10 minutes, then cut into thin strips.

4. Mince the shallots.

5. To make the sauce:

Shell off the garlic, chop them and mince together with chilli. Separately in another bowl, squeeze the lemon for its juice (do remember to remove the seed). In an empty bowl, put 1 spoon of lemon juice (or white vinegar) with 4 spoons of distilled water, 2 spoons of fish sauce and 2 spoons of sugar, then stir the mixture well. Dispense the sugar, add some MSG, followed with the chopped garlic and chilli, mix it all together.

6. Mix the minced pork, julienne taro, ear mushroom, squid, prawn and shallot together. Thereafter, season with ground pepper, MSG, sugar and salt.

7. Lightly moisten the rice paper with water, mixed with a bit of rice powder or coconut milk, then turn the rice paper over, put 1 spoon of mixed ingredient on the edge of the rice paper, fold the two sides together then roll it up.

8. To achieve crispy spring rolls, firstly, heat oil on a low flame. Once the temperature reaches around 100 degrees, put the spring rolls in the pan to fry until the skin turns to yellow-brown. Take the spring rolls out of the pan then drain out the oil, serve hot with herbs, lettuce, and sweet fish sauce.