Cha Gio (Southern Vietnamese Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls)
Cha gio - Vietnamese fried spring rolls - are a southern Vietnamese specialty that differs from the north's nem ran in both wrapper and filling. Southern cooks use rice paper rather than wheat-based wrappers, which fries into an exceptionally thin, blistered shell with a shatteringly crisp texture that crackles louder than any Chinese egg roll. The filling combines ground pork, shrimp, glass noodle threads, wood ear mushroom, and grated carrot, seasoned with fish sauce and black pepper. The rolling technique matters - too loose and the roll bursts during frying; too tight and the filling compresses into a dense puck. Fried at 160°C and then raised to 180°C for a final crisping, the ideal cha gio has a shell so thin it is nearly translucent, revealing the filling underneath. The traditional way to eat it is wrapped in a mustard green leaf or lettuce with fresh herbs - mint, basil, perilla - and dipped in nuoc cham. Cha gio is a fixture of Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations, where families prepare hundreds in a single session.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Soak and finely chop glass noodles, and mince carrot and onion.
- 2
Combine pork, vegetables, noodles, egg, fish sauce, and pepper in a bowl.
- 3
Lightly wet rice paper, add filling, and roll tightly.
- 4
First-fry at 170C for 5 minutes, then remove and cool.
- 5
Second-fry at 180C for 1-2 minutes for extra crispness.
- 6
Drain well and serve with herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce.
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