Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Crisp Vietnamese cha gio are filled, tightly rolled, and fried until golden, with a make-ahead freezer option for easy cooking later.
Ingredients
- Water
- Flour
- Cold water
Directions
- Place the noodles and mushroom strips in separate bowls of cold water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain them, then leave them in a colander so the excess water can drip away. Snip the noodles into 1½-inch-long lengths, transfer them to a large bowl with all of the filling ingredients, and mix everything thoroughly.
- Slice the spring roll wrappers on the diagonal so each one becomes 2 triangles, then peel them apart into individual sheets. Set 1 wrapper piece on a plate with the wide edge closest to you. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling to the center of that lower edge, then bring the 2 nearby sides into the middle, overlapping 1 over the other. Roll the wrapper up toward the point to make a tight, neat parcel, sealing the end with a little flour mixed with water. Continue the same way until all the wrappers are filled.
- Once rolled, fry the cha gio right away in oil heated to 350 degrees F, or hot enough that a bread cube turns brown in 15 seconds. You can also freeze them for later. To cook from frozen, carefully lower the frozen spring rolls into the oil without defrosting them, and fry for an additional 1 minute or so.