Chả Giò (Vietnamese Crispy Fried Spring Rolls)
Local name: Chả giò
In short: Crisp, bubbly rice paper rolls filled with pork, shrimp, glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms and carrot, fried until golden and served with herbs. It takes about 1 h 45 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 370 kcal
Chả giò, called nem rán in the north, are the crisp fried rolls served at Tết, weddings and family gatherings across Vietnam. A pork and shrimp filling with glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms and carrot is wrapped in rice paper, which fries into a blistered, crackling shell. Eat them wrapped in lettuce with mint and basil, then dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. They freeze well, so make a big batch.
Instructions
- Mix the pork, shrimp, noodles, mushrooms, carrot, onion, garlic, egg, fish sauce, sugar, pepper and salt in a bowl. Knead by hand for 1 minute until the mixture holds together.
- Brush a half wrapper lightly on both sides with the sugar water and wait about 30 seconds until pliable. Set 2 tablespoons of filling along the straight edge, 2 cm (3/4 in) in from the edge.
- Fold the straight edge over the filling, tuck in both sides and roll up firmly into a slim cylinder. Repeat, keeping the finished rolls on a tray without touching.
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep pot to 160°C (320°F). Fry 6 to 7 rolls at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until deep golden, bubbly and crisp, and the pork is cooked through (71°C / 160°F).
- Lift the rolls onto a rack set over a tray. Let the oil come back to temperature between batches.
- Serve hot with lettuce, herbs and dipping sauce. Wrap a piece in lettuce with herbs and dip it in the sauce.
Tips
- Fry low and slow at 160°C (320°F). If the oil is hotter, the rice paper browns before the filling cooks, and if it is cooler, the rolls turn greasy. Drain them on a rack, not paper, to keep the shell crisp.
- Freeze uncooked rolls on a tray, then in a bag for up to 2 months. Fry them straight from the freezer at 150°C (300°F) for 12 to 14 minutes.
Questions and answers
Why do my chả giò burst or turn soft?
Bursting usually means too much filling, a wet filling or oil that is too hot. Drain the soaked noodles and mushrooms well, roll tightly and keep the oil near 160°C (320°F).
Can I bake or air-fry chả giò?
Yes, but the shell will be less blistered. Brush the rolls with oil and air-fry at 190°C (375°F) for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through.
What is the difference between chả giò and nem rán?
They are the same kind of fried roll. Cooks in the south say chả giò, and cooks in the north say nem rán, with small differences in the filling.
How long does it take to make Chả Giò (Vietnamese Crispy Fried Spring Rolls)?
About 1 h 45 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chả Giò (Vietnamese Crispy Fried Spring Rolls)?
About 370 kcal per serving, with 18 g of protein, 23 g of carbohydrates and 23 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 370 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 1050 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
