Name: Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
Cook time: 1 3/4 hr
Total time: 1 3/4 hr
Yield: Makes 50 hors d'oeuvres
Ingredients: 5½ tablespoons sugar; ¾ cup warm water; ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon fish sauce (preferably from Phu Quoc); 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned); 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (optional); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 fresh Thai chiles (2 to 3 inches; preferably red; including seeds), thinly sliced crosswise; 7½ oz very thin bean thread noodles (in small skeins, also known as cellophane or mung bean noodles); 2 oz dried wood ear mushrooms; 1 medium shallot; 2 garlic cloves; 2 cups grated carrots (4 to 5 carrots); 1 lb ground pork shoulder; ¼ cup fish sauce (preferably from Phu Quoc); ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar; 2½ teaspoons black pepper; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 lb shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined; 25 (8-inch) square frozen spring roll pastry wrappers made with wheat flour, thawed; 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten; About 6 cups vegetable oil; Accompaniments: lettuce leaves and fresh mint and cilantro leaves; a deep-fat thermometer

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When my grandmother Noi came to America in 1975, banh trang—Vietnamese rice flour wrappers—weren't available, so the use of wheat wrappers from Singapore and China became widespread throughout the immigrant community. While it's easier to get banh trang these days, Noi still uses the wheat wrappers for this recipe.

Cooks' notes:

Rolls can be assembled (but not fried) 1 month ahead and frozen, wrapped well in foil. Thaw in refrigerator before frying. Sauce and filling can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled separately, covered.

Recipe notes

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