Mrs. Le's Cha Gio (Spring Rolls)

MarraMamba's Note:

Mrs Le, the owner of Cha Gio Restaurant in Atlanta (which has merged with Wild Thai restaurant) makes these wonderful spring rolls.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 8 spring ...

Filling

• ½ cup finely chopped fresh chicken meat
• ½ cup rehydrated dried black fungus
• ½ cup cooked bean threads
• ½ cup chopped white onion
• ½ cup fresh crabmeat
• ½ cup raw chopped shrimp
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• 1 egg
• fish sauce , to taste
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 8 sheets rice paper , round (or more, as needed)
• vegetable oil (for frying)
• assorted fresh vegetable , and herb platter to eat with spring roll (red leaf lettuce, mint, cilantro, basil.)

Nwoc Cham (Dipping Sauce)

• ¼ cup shredded carrot
• crushed red pepper sauce , to taste (Tuong Ot Toi)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ cup boiling water
• fish sauce , to taste

Directions:

1. For filling: In a bowl, mix together the chicken, black fungus, bean threads, white onion, green onion, crab meat, shrimp, carrots, bean sprouts, egg, fish sauce and white pepper. Set aside.
2. Dip each sheet of rice paper in warm water and place on a clean towel, just as you are ready to fill and roll.
3. Put sheet on a flat surface. Put about 1/4 cup filling across bottom 1/3 of rice sheet. Fold 1/3 of sheet on left side over mixture and repeat with the right side. Starting at the bottom, carefully roll up as tightly as possible. Place spring rolls on platter.
4. When all spring rolls are completed, heat 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350 degrees. Place spring rolls in the hot oil folded side down to keep them from breaking. Cook 2 to 4 minutes per side or until they are a golden brown and ends are brown indicating that the ingredients are done. Drain and serve immediately.
5. For dipping sauce: Put carrots, crushed red pepper sauce, lemon juice and sugar in a small serving bowl. Pour the boiling water over the ingredients. Add the fish sauce to taste. Stir to mix. Serve.
6. Makes about 8 spring rolls.