Chả Giò (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

Nothing beats homemade Chả Giò. These Vietnamese Spring Rolls are packed with exciting textures and the outside is fried until crisp!

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g / 1.1 lb pork mince
• 200 g / 0.4 lb shrimp ((minced using a cleaver))
• 30 g / 0.07 lb shiitake mushroom ((rehydrated and cut into thin strips))
• 10 g / 0.02 lb woodear mushroom ((rehydrated and cut into thin strips))
• 500 g / 1.1 lb taro ((cut into thin strips))
• 100 g / 0.2 lb carrot ((cut into thin strips))
• 100 g / 0.2 lb jicama ((cut into thin strips))
• 20 g / 0.04 lb green bean thread ((soaked in cool water and drained until dry))
• 200 g / 0.4 lb pork fat ((cut into cubes))
• 3 red shallots ((finely chopped))
• 1 onion ((finely chopped))
• 3 tsp sugar ((or to taste))
• 1 3/4 tbsp salt ((or to taste))
• 1/2 tbsp pepper
• 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 eggs
• 5 packets spring roll wrapper ((one packet has roughly 50, depending on the brand))
• 1 egg white ((for sealing each roll))
• cooking oil ((for frying))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Making The Filling ---
2. 2Mix all the filling and seasoning ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.Pro Tip: Use plastic glad wrap to cover the bowl's top as you wrap so that it doesn't become dry during the process. This also means you can seal it for the fridge if you don't end up using it all.
3. 3--- How To Wrap A Spring Roll ---
4. 4Put the wrapper on the plate with a corner pointing to you. Spoon about 1 1/2 tsp of the filling into the center of the wrapper and squeeze it to make a log.
5. 5Fold the bottom corner up and over the mince, then pull the log gently towards you to remove any air bubbles.
6. 6Fold the left and right corners into the center.Note: Wrap the wrapper all the way to each end of the log so there are no gaps. Keep in mind that the shape of your mince log will determine how long your Chả Giò ends up being.
7. 7Roll tightly from the bottom up until there's a small triangle left.
8. 8Dip your finger into the egg white and smear some of it on the tip of the triangle.
9. 9Complete the roll by rolling it upward until you have a sealed Chả Giò. Place each finished one on a plate or a tray to fry.Note: If you don't plan on frying them straight away, pack them into freeze-safe bags and let them freeze until you're ready to cook them.
10. 10--- Frying The Appetizers ---
11. 11Bring the oil in a pot to a medium-high heat and gently place the spring rolls in to cook for 5 minutes or until golden.
12. 12Enjoy them fresh as is or serve it with a classic Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm)!