Ayo Technology
It would be more apt to title this post "lack of technology" (but I really like that song, and this is my blog, and I can name it whatever I want!). I am back at my mom's for a month for a rotation, and I didn't have my computer, cable TV, or my iPod. But guess what? I survived. But since I didn't have my computer, I couldn't post. But now I'm back and ready to cook my heart out! Here's the post that I promised last week - Vietnamese egg rolls.
These little babies are a bit different than Chinese egg rolls - they are seasoned with nuoc mam (which is sort of like the Chinese equivalent to soy sauce), they have mushrooms and noodles in them, and instead of having cabbage, they have carrots. Ok, so they are really different than Chinese egg rolls. I think that the only thing in common are the meat and the wrappers. But you will love them. The mushrooms and noodles give them a bit of a crunch, and the carrots a little sweetness.
Do not dip these in sweet and sour sauce!! That is a crime against Vietnamese cuisine. And Chinese cuisine, too. I think that sweet and sour sauce is an American invention.. but I digress. You can eat these plain, or better yet, dipped in a bit of nuoc cham.
All of the ingredients can be found at the Asian grocery.
These take a little while to make, so if you have a willing friend (or a wonderful boyfriend), recruit them to help you. It's no harder than rolling a burrito. I have a friend who used partake in the smoking of illegal substances, and he was really good at rolling egg rolls. So if you've got a pothead brother or two around, recruit them too!
Cha gio (Vietnamese egg rolls)Makes 4 dozen egg rolls
Print this recipe
Ingredients
1 lb ground pork
1 package bean thread noodles (can be found at the Asian grocery), soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
1/4 cup dried shredded wood ear mushrooms (can be found at the Asian grocery), soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
1 large carrot, grated
1/4 medium onion, finely diced
1 - 2 tablespoons nuoc mam (fish sauce)
1 - 2 tablespoons sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 package spring roll wrappers
1 quart peanut oil, for frying
nuoc cham, for dipping
Directions
1. After the wood ear mushrooms are soft, drain and wash. Dice into smaller pieces. Drain bean thread noodles and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except spring roll wrappers, peanut oil, and nuoc cham. Mix well (don't be afraid to use your hands!). Take 1 tablespoon of meat mixture and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Prepare your egg roll station: one plate to roll the eggrolls, one plate to place completed egg rolls, a small bowl of water to seal the egg rolls, the bowl of meat, the spring roll wrappers, and two moist paper towels to cover the completed egg rolls and the spring roll wrappers so they do not dry out.
Egg roll station (click to enlarge).
These are the spring roll wrappers that I use. They are 6 inches in diameter.
Lay the spring roll wrapper like so.
Add about 2 tablespoons of meat to the bottom third of the wrapper.
Fold the bottom up,
then fold the two sides in (at a bit of an angle),
And roll it up. When you get to this point, use your finger to spread a little bit of water on the exposed corner. This will seal the egg roll.
And the completed egg roll!
I fold the sides in at and angle so there is no loose wrapper when it is rolled up (top egg roll).
Another tip is to use the side of your hand to shape the meat into a cylinder,
like so.
5. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. You can use a deep fryer, a deep pot, or a cast iron pan. I wouldn't recommend using a cast iron pan unless you are experienced. The hot oil can bubble over the edge easily. Cook the egg rolls for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch them carefully and use chopsticks or heat-proof tongs to flip them about halfway through. Then take the egg rolls out and drain on paper towels. To keep the eggrolls warm while you are cooking the rest, you can place them in a 200 degree oven.
And there you have it! Enjoy them dipped in nuoc cham, wrapped in lettuce, or with bun thit nuong.
These can easily be frozen for later enjoyment (and you will want to enjoy them later)! Just take them and put them in a single layer in a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as you can, and pop them in the freezer. To reheat, just put them in a 375 degree oven and heat for about 10 minutes, or until crispy again.
xoxo <3
Nhu-Y
P.S. I have some ideas for tomorrow - stay tuned!
