Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls(Cha Gio Chay)

* Exported from MasterCook *

Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Cha Gio Chay)

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vietnamese Appetizers
Vegetarian Ceideburg 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----ACCOMPANIMENTS-----
Vegetable Platter
8 ounces Thin rice vermicelli (bun) -- OR:
2 bn Japanese alimentary paste -- noodles (somen).
Peanut sauce or Nuoc Cham
-----FILLING-----
1 ounce Cellophane (bean thread) -- noodles
1 tablespoon Dried tree ear mushrooms
6 Dried Chinese mushrooms
1 large Carrot -- finely shredded
1 large Leek, white part only -- chopped
6 Water chestnuts -- or
1/2 small Jicama -- peeled and chopped
1 pound Firm bean curd (tofu) -- crumbled
1 cup Fresh bean sprouts -- coarsely
=09
6 Garlic cloves -- minced
3 tablespoons Nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish -- sauce)
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
-----ASSEMBLY AND FRYING-----
1/2 cup Sugar
40 small Rounds of rice papers (banh -- trang), 6 1/2 inches
=09
Peanut oil for frying

The book notes that true Buddhist vegetarians would not use garlic or fish
sauce and would limit the dips to plain soy or plum sauce.
Unless you are in this category, Peanut Sauce (Nuoc Leo) and Nuoc Cham are
great dips as well.

Prepare the Vegetable Platter, noodles and dipping sauce. Set aside.

Soak the noodles in warm water and the mushrooms in hot water for 30=
minutes; drain. Cut the noodles into 1/2-inch lengths. Remove and discard
the stems from the mushrooms; squeeze to extract most of the soaking
liquid. Mince all of the mushrooms.

Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl; blend well
with your hands. Set aside.

Assemble the rolls: Fill a large bowl with 4 cups of warm water and
dissolve the sugar in it.

Rice paper is quite fragile. Work with only 4 sheets at a time, keeping
the remaining sheets covered with a barely damp cloth to prevent curling.

Immerse the rice paper, one sheet at a time, into the sweetened warm water.=
Quickly withdraw it and lay it flat on a dry towel. Do this with 4 sheets
without letting them touch each other. The rice paper will become pliable
within seconds.

Fold over the bottom third of each round. Put 1 generous teaspoon of
filling in the center of the folded-over portion. Press it into a compact
rectangle. Fold one side of the paper over the mixture, then the other
side. Roll from the bottom to the top to completely enclose the filling.=
Continue until all of the mixture is used. (The rolls can be prepared 1=
day in advance. Wrap and refrigerate.)
Fry the rolls: If possible use 2 skillets. Pour 1 to 1 1/2 inches of oil
into each skillet and heat to 325F. Working in batches, add some of the
rolls without letting them touch, or they will stick together. Fry for 10=
to 12 minutes, turning often, until golden and crisp. Remove the rolls
from the oil with tongs and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven
until all of th rolls are cooked.

To serve, each diner wraps a roll in a lettuce leaf along with some noodles
and selected items from the Vegetable Platter and dips the package in the
dipping sauce.

NOTE: The fried rolls can be frozen, then thawed and reheated in a 350F
oven just to crisp and heat through.

Yield: 40 rolls.

From "The Foods of Vietnam" by Nicole Rauthier. Stewart, Tabori & Chang.=
1989.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; April 14 1991.

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