How to make Cha Gio (Vietnamese Egg Rolls)

Vietnamese Egg Rolls, also called Cha Gio is a classic and popular Vietnamese recipe. These egg rolls are crispy on the outside, and wrapped with pork, shrimp, mung bean thread noodles, mushrooms and veggies. They typically served with a delicious fish sauce based dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

– 25g each of taro, wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, and green onions
– 55g carrots
– 15g basil leaves
– 10g shallots
– 50g jicama
– 100g peeled shrimp
– 20g ginger
– 50ml rice wine
– 150g minced pork
– 30ml lemon juice
– 20g minced garlic
– 30g minced chili
– Spring roll wrappers
– Seasoning: seasoning powder, MSG, fish sauce, sugar, pepper

Step 1: Preparing the Vegetable Ingredients

– Shred the taro, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and basil leaves into thin strips.
– Soak the glass noodles until softened, then cut into short sections.
– Chop the green onions into short sections.
– Mince the shallots.
– Chop the jicama into small pieces.
– Mince the shrimp.

Step 2: Mixing the Cha Gio Filling

Place the taro, wood ear mushrooms, 25g of carrots, basil leaves, glass noodles, green onions, shallots, jicama, shrimp, minced pork, and crab meat into a large bowl. Next, season the filling with: 5g of seasoning powder, 3g of MSG, 3ml of fish sauce, 3g of sugar, and 3g of pepper. Mix well to allow the ingredients to fully absorb the seasoning.

Step 3: Making the Cha Gio Dipping Sauce

While waiting for the filling to absorb the seasoning, prepare the dipping sauce for the cha gio. Place a pot on the stove and add 200ml of water along with 30ml of fish sauce, 150g of sugar, and 5g of MSG. Stir well until all the seasonings dissolve together, and bring the mixture to a boil, then turn off the heat.

Once the fish sauce has cooled, add 30ml of lemon juice, 20g of minced garlic, and 30g of minced chili, then mix well.

Step 4: How to Roll Beautiful Cha Gio

Use 2 overlapping spring roll wrappers, placing them on a flat surface. Place the filling on the overlapping part of the 2 wrappers, measuring the filling to be about 10g – not too much, otherwise the cha gio will break when rolled. Then, roll them tightly until the end of the wrapper. Use water to seal the edge of the wrapper so that it doesn’t come apart when frying. Place the cha gio on a plate, and repeat until all the filling is used up.

Step 5: How to Fry Crispy Cha Gio

Add enough oil to a pan so that the oil can submerge the cha gio. When the oil is hot, add the cha gio and fry over medium heat, turning them evenly until the cha gio have an attractive golden brown color and a crispy crust. Note, do not fry the cha gio over high heat as this will cause them to be undercooked on the inside but burnt on the outside.

If you want the cha gio to stay crispy longer, fry them twice: The first time, fry them over low heat until the filling is cooked, then remove and drain the oil. When you are almost ready to eat, fry them again for the second time to achieve a golden crispy crust.

When the cha gio are done, remove them and place them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Step 6: How to Decorate Cha Gio Dishes

Arrange the cha gio on a plate and garnish with various herbs, lettuce, and chili sauce.

Cha gio can be served with raw vegetables, dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. This dish can be eaten with rice, vermicelli noodles, or as a snack.

The small and beautiful cha gio with a crispy crust that melts in your mouth and a fragrant, rich filling will surely captivate diners. Making cha gio is not too difficult, just follow the instructions from 88 above and you will have delicious, golden, and crispy cha gio rolls. We wish you success in making this dish and have a delicious meal!

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