Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Cha Gio Chay)

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Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Cha Gio Chay)

 

Serving Size: ~40 rolls

 

-----ACCOMPANIMENTS-----

Vegetable Platter

8 ox Thin rice vermicelli (bun)

OR:

2 bn Japanese alimentary paste noodles (somen).

Peanut sauce or Nuoc Cham

-----FILLING-----

1 oz Cellophane (bean thread) noodles

1 tb Dried tree ear mushrooms

6 Dried Chinese mushrooms

1 lg Carrot, finely shredded

1 lg Leek, white part only, chopped

6 Water chestnuts, or

1/2 sm Jicama, peeled and chopped

1 lb Firm bean curd (tofu), crumbled

1 c Fresh bean sprouts, coarsely chopped

6 Garlic cloves, minced

3 tb tamari soy sauce

2 Eggs

1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper

-----ASSEMBLY AND FRYING-----

1/2 c Sugar

40 sm Rounds of rice papers (banh trang), 6 1/2 inches diameter

Peanut oil for frying

 

* Prepare the Vegetable Platter, noodles and dipping sauce. Set aside.

* Soak the noodles in warm water and the mushrooms in hot water for 30

minutes; drain. Cut the noodles into 1/2-inch lengths. Remove and discard

the stems from the mushrooms; squeeze to extract most of the soaking

liquid. Mince all of the mushrooms.

* Assemble the rolls: Fill a large bowl with 4 cups of warm water and

dissolve the sugar in it.

* Rice paper is quite fragile. Work with only 4 sheets at a time,

keeping the remaining sheets covered with a barely damp cloth to prevent

curling.

* Immerse the rice paper, one sheet at a time, into the sweetened warm

water. Quickly withdraw it and lay it flat on a dry towel. Do this with 4

sheets without letting them touch each other. The rice paper will become

pliable within seconds.

* Fold over the bottom third of each round. Put 1 generous teaspoon of

filling in the center of the folded-over portion. Press it into a compact

rectangle. Fold one side of the paper over the mixture, then the other

side. Roll from the bottom to the top to completely enclose the filling.

Continue until all of the mixture is used. (The rolls can be prepared 1 day

in advance. Wrap and refrigerate.)

* Fry the rolls: If possible use 2 skillets. Pour 1 to 1 1/2 inches of

oil into each skillet and heat to 325F. Working in batches, add some of the

rolls without letting them touch, or they will stick together. Fry for 10

to 12 minutes, turning often, until golden and crisp. Remove the rolls from

the oil with tongs and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven until

all of th rolls are cooked.

* To serve, each diner wraps a roll in a lettuce leaf along with some

noodles and selected items from the Vegetable Platter and dips the package

in the dipping sauce.

* NOTE: The fried rolls can be frozen, then thawed and reheated in a

350F oven just to crisp and heat through.

* Yield: 40 rolls.