Crunchy Vietnamese Spring Rolls

• 1 pack vietnamese rice paper pastries (Banh Trang)

The Filling

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 300g fatty minced pork
• 1 carrot, grated
• Handful wood ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for at least 1 hour and finely chopped
• Small handful mung bean vermicelli, soaked and finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp fish sauce

Nuoc Cham

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 birdseye chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 4 tbsp water
• Juice of ½ lime

PREPARATION

Mix all of the Filling ingredients in a bowl.

Soak the paper pastries in a bowl of hot water- hold in two hands above the bowl and swivel them into the water until fully soaked. 

Lay the pastry out on a chopping board and place two tablespoons of filling towards the bottom of the pastry. Now roll the pastry over the filling until it reaches the middle of the pastry. Bring the sides in and fold over. Continue to roll and tighten the pastry until you have a cylindrical spring roll. Continue this method until you have all your spring rolls ready for frying.

COOKING

Cook 3-4 spring rolls at the same time. Place your oil in the wok and get it to around 170-180°C. Then turn it down to a low heat and add the first 3 spring rolls. Pop any bubbles as they bulge up. Fry for 3-4 mins, to cook through. Then remove and place on a grill so the oil can drip off. Now fry the other,s 3 at a time. 

For the second fry, get your oil to a medium to high heat,180°C,  and place the spring rolls in again for about a minute to crisp up. 

Serve with Nuoc Cham Sauce