Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)

Ingredients

• 12  dried rice papers (8” in diameter)
• 1 egg white
• Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Filling

• ½ cup Ground Pork
• ½ cup Flaked Crab Meat
• ¼ cup Minced Peeled Raw Shrimp
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Taro Root
• ½ oz dried Chinese Mushrooms (soaked in warm water for 30 min, then minced)
• ½ oz Cellophane Noodles (softened in warm water, then chopped)
• Pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

To Serve

• Sprigs of fresh herbs – basil, Thai basil, cilantro & mint
• Leaves of mustard greens and/or lettuce
• Nuoc Cham dipping Sauce

Instructions

1. Combine the filling ingredients, mixing well.
2. Soften each rice paper by lightly brushing it with war water on both sides and leaving it for 20 seconds.
3. Using scissors cut each paper in half. Then, with the straight edge at the bottom, place a generous teaspoon of filling gin the center of each rice paper half.  Wrap the sides over, then roll up tightly from the bottom, squahsing the filling into all corners.  Use a little egg white to seal  the roll if necessary.
4. Deep-fry the rolls until golden brown.
5. Serve wrapped with herbs inside green leaves, dipping in nuoc cham before eating.