Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
Crispy, golden and packed with juicy pork, noodles and aromatics, these Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio) are easier than you think and taste even better than takeaway. Perfect as an appetiser, snack or part of a noodle bowl.
Ingredients
- 80g bean thread vermicelli noodles (2 bundles)
- 500g pork mince (at least 15% fat - i.e not lean)
- 1 large carrot, finely grated
- 2 spring/green onions, thinly sliced
- 2-3 eschalots, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- ¼ cup coriander leaves & stems, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon each chicken stock powder, caster sugar, cracked black pepper and salt
- 250g packet (20 sheets) frozen spring roll pastry, thawed (See notes)
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
FLOUR GLUE (TO SEAL)
- 1 tablespoon plain flour (AP flour)
- 3 teaspoons water
NOUC CHAM DIPPING SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons each warm water and caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small birds eye chilli, diced
Instructions
PREPARE THE NOODLES
- Place noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water.
- Soak for 15 minutes until softened, then drain and pat dry.
- Using scissors, cut into roughly 4 cm lengths and transfer to a mixing bowl.
MAKE THE FILLING
- Add pork mince, carrot, spring/green onions, eschalots, garlic, coriander, egg, fish sauce, oyster sauce, stock powder, sugar, pepper and salt to the noodles.
- Use your hands to mix until well combined.
ROLL THE SPRING ROLLS
- Whisk flour and water together to form a thick paste.
- Working with one wrapper at a time, place a heaped spoonful of filling near the bottom corner.
- Fold over, then fold in the sides. Roll up firmly, brushing the final corner with flour glue to seal.
- Repeat with remaining wrappers. Cover and chill until ready to fry (or freeze—see notes).
FRY THE SPRING ROLLS - FIRST FRY
- Heat oil in a wok or deep saucepan to 170°C (bread cube should crisp in ~20 seconds).
- Fry 4–5 rolls at a time for 4–6 minutes until light golden. Drain on paper towel briefly, then transfer to a wire rack.
FRY THE SPRING ROLLS - SECOND FRY
- Increase oil to 190°C.
- Fry rolls again for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Always cut one open to ensure the pork is fully cooked.
SERVE
- Serve hot with Nuoc Cham dipping sauce, lettuce, herbs and pickled carrot or cucumber.
NOUC CHAM
- Place warm water and caster sugar into a jar. Shake to dissolve the sugar.
- Add remaining ingredients and shake until combined. Chill until required. Keeps for 1 week.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - SPRING ROLL WRAPPERS
Use frozen wheat wrappers for best results. Coles brand separates easily and fries evenly. Thaw in the fridge for about 1 hour before rolling. - FREEZING THE ROLLS
Freeze uncooked spring rolls in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-lock bag. Fry straight from frozen (never thaw), adding a few extra minutes. -
REHEATING COOKED SPRING ROLLS
Reheat in a 180°C oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.