Who doesn't like finger food? Vietnamese eggrolls you'll love!

It makes me so happy when friends tell me they've tried Pho or any type of Vietnamese food. I'm quite pleased that Vietnamese restaurants are popping up all over town. No more running to Seattle's China town for a simple bowl of soup or Vietnamese sandwiches! I've decided to share my mother's secret recipe for Cha Gio (Vietnamese Egg Rolls) that she brought with her from Saigon.  When I told my partner "Mighty Mouse" (who is part German and Slavic) that I would be posting this recipe, he protested with an emphatically loud "NO, it's a secret! You can't share that one." Hahahaaa, well I am because I am so tired of the restaurants that try to pass off flavorless ones. I think good recipes should be shared and enjoyed. I don't think my mother would mind. 

Growing up living on Whidbey Island made it a bit challenging for my mother to make her much beloved homeland dishes. Supplies were hard to come by unless we took a day outing on the ferry to Seattle or Canada, she was stuck with making wrappers by hand. I remember being 5 years old and watching her hand make them - talk about tedious! So grateful for the variety of Asian grocers now conveniently located nearby. 

Ingredients: 
Makes about 75 eggrolls (I know this is a lot but you can freeze them and save yourself some time later)

Filling:
2 lb ground pork (not pork sausage)
1 lb devained and minced shrimp (white or tiger, not pink cocktail shrimp)
1/2 lb lump crab meat
3 package spring roll or rice paper wrappers (25 per package)
1 1/2 Cup or 1 section bean thread vermicelli. 
1 cup dried black mushrooms or tree wood ear fungus mushroom soaked and minced
1 large minced onion
1 1/2 Cup grated carrots
1 Cup bean sprouts
1 Cup minced celery
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon black pepper (I prefer freshly cracked)
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper (optional)
2 1/2 Tablespoon Fish Sauce 

Directions:
Dried mushrooms/tree ear fungus and the bean thread vermicelli need to be soaked in warm water for about 20 minutes to re-hydrate. Once re-hydrated squeeze out the excess water. I use a food processor to mince and chop the ingredients. If you don't have one:  Cut vermicelli and bean sprouts into 1 inch segments. Mince the mushrooms/tree ear fungus, garlic, onions, ginger, celery and shrimp. Grate the carrots and add all to large mixing bowl. Add the ground pork and crab (if you are adding crab). Add the sugar, fish sauce, eggs, salt, black and white peppers and egg. 

Once all the ingredients are in the bowl, mix by hand until it's well blended. Now you're ready to roll!

Unwrap the thawed wrappers and have a baking sheet and cup of warm water ready for this process. Take a wrapper and lay it on a plate in a triangle shape with one point towards you. Set a tablespoon size portion of the filling horizontally near one point. Fold the point nearest you over the filling. See figure 1. 

Now make an envelope by folding the right and left points over each other. See figure 2. 

Gently roll the meat packet. Not too tight but certainly not too loosely.  See figure 3. 

Dip your index and middle finger into the warm water and moisten the unfolded tip section. This helps seal the wrapper to the roll. Place onto baking pan and continue with the others until all the wrappers or filling is gone. See figure 4. This is when help is handy. If you have kids, they may enjoy rolling these with you. . . .for awhile at least.  

To fry these, use either Vegetable or Canola oil. Heat oil to frying temperature, but not on high because this will burn the wrappers and perhaps not thoroughly cook the filling. Use chopsticks or a tongs to turn the eggrolls for even frying. Fry until golden brown on all sides. Cook time will vary depending on how deep your pan is and how many you put into the pan at once. Once fried, place in metal colander to drain out excess oil. These are extremely hot on the inside so be careful if you get tempted to eat one right away. 

Serve with Vietnamese Nuoc Mam dipping sauce. I know many of you have never tried Nuoc Mam and may only have sweet and sour chili sauce handy, but I urge you to try the Nuoc Mam.  I like to wrap them in leaf lettuce and add fresh sprigs of mint, basil and a spoonful of the carrots from the Nuoc Mam sauce.