Authentic Vietnamese fried spring rolls recipe – Chả Giò

Vietnamese fried spring rolls are one of the guilty pleasures at our house. Those who know me know that I hate deep frying food. Here, I said it … But I always make an exception these little treats. You will understand why after you have tried my authentic Vietnamese fried spring rolls recipe. I am pretty much sure you will never go back to store bought ones again. No matter how convenient they are.

Keep reading if you want all my tips and tricks for a successful frying experience with no explosion!

What you will need to make my Vietnamese fried spring rolls

• Rice paper – make sure you get the rice paper only made with rice flour. Some brands use a mix of rice and tapioca flour. Spring rolls made with the latter will stick more strongly together than those made only with rice flour. I use 8.5 inches diameter rice paper for 22 spring rolls. You can use small rice paper which will give more rolls.
• Minced pork – you can use minced chicken if you don’t eat pork or check my Chinese vegetarian spring rolls on my Instagram
• Bean sprouts – drain well before adding to the mixing bowl
• Rice vermicelli – you can use mung bean vermicelli. Make sure you soak it in cold water for about 30 minutes and drain well
• Dried wood ear mushrooms – soak the mushrooms in cold water for about two hours and use a food processor to thinly chop them
• Carrot – thinly shred the carrot so it cooks easily
• White onion – thinly mince the onion so it blind well in the feeling but don’t use the food processor as it will release too much of water
• Egg white – I like using egg white as a binder here but if you don’t want to fuss with a leftover egg yolk, substitute with one tablespoon of cornstarch
• Fish sauce, white pepper, garlic, limes, oil for frying

How do we fold the spring rolls?

I am a little bit OCD so I like my spring rolls to be of the same length. I find folding each side of the rice paper toward the center works best as it helps to define the length of the roll. Then roll all the way up.

What is the best vegetable oil to use for frying the spring rolls?

In most Asian cuisine, the oil of choice for deep frying is peanut oil. Peanut oil has a high smoke point of 445F and has a neutral taste. It means it will not alter the taste of the food. As peanut oil is a not an easily accessible oil where I live, my go to oil is grape seed oil that has a relatively high smoke point of 390F. It also has a neutral flavour so it won’t compromise the overall taste of the spring rolls.

What to do with the leftover frying oil?

Allow the oil to cool down and use a fine meshed sieve to filter into a glass container. I like to store it in the fridge for the next use. That way; the oil won’t go rancid too quick.

Why do spring rolls explode while frying?

Spring rolls explode while frying mainly for two reasons. The first reason is due to the residual water on the rice paper. The second reason is the air trapped inside the rolls. To avoid that, I recommend you gently press down when rolling up. After all the rolls are done, leave them dry for minimum an hour before frying. I usually leave them dry in the fridge overnight, under a dry kitchen cloth.

Why do spring rolls stick together while frying?

Vietnamese spring rolls, whether fried or fresh, are made with rice paper. Rice is naturally sticky due to its starch content. Thus, they will stick together when you add too many in the frying pan. The best is not to overcrowd the pan, leaving space between the rolls. Also, beware you get rice paper that is only made with rice four when doing your grocery:

Can I bake the spring rolls in the oven instead of deep frying?

Of course, you can bake them in the oven. Or even use an air fryer. But I won’t lie, they will be drier and will not come out as crunchy.

How do I warm the fried spring rolls up without frying again?

You can use an air fryer, a pan over medium low heat or a preheated oven at 390F. Make sure you occasionally rotate them, so they are evenly crispy.

How do we eat Vietnamese fried spring rolls?

The best way is wrapped in a lettuce leaf with some spearmint leaves and dipped in the nuoc cham sauce. You’ll find how I make it in the detailed recipe below. This dipping sauce is so addictive that my husband literally drinks it! You can also enjoy them in a Vietnamese Bún Chả Giò

My ultimate tip

Since deep frying is a bit messy, when I prepare fried spring rolls for my family, I usually double the quantities to make a big batch. I let them cool after the first frying. Then I place them in a freezer bag and lay them flat in the freezer. This way I have for when my kids and husband crave for some.

Now that you know how to make authentic Vietnamese fried spring rolls, check my Vietnamese fresh spring rolls recipe. You will especially appreciate them with summer around the corner. If you have Vietnamese food lover friends, don’t hesitate to share my recipes with them!

Authentic Vietnamese fried spring rolls recipe – Chả Giò

Recipe by Nourish by LuCourse: AppetizersCuisine: VietnameseDifficulty: Easy

Authentic Vietnamese fried spring rolls that won’t explode when frying

Ingredients

• For the filling

• 22 rice papers of 8.5 inches diameter

• 500 g ground pork

• 200 g carrots

• 150 g bean sprouts

• 10 g dried wood ear mushrooms

• 50 g dried rice vermicelli

• 1 white onion

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 egg white

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tsp white pepper

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• Nuoc cham sauce

• 2.5 tbsp fish sauce

• 3 tbsp lime juice

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 minced garlic

• some chili (optional)

• Oil for frying

Directions

• Rehydrate the vermicelli and wood ear mushrooms in two separate bowls
• Finely chop the wood ear mushrooms, roughly cut the vermicelli and strain it well
• Thinly shred the carrots and mince the onion and garlic
• Place those ingredients into a large bowl then add the meat, bean sprouts, salt/pepper, fish sauce and egg white. Combine well with your hand
• Place a large dish with warm water and wet a clean kitchen cloth on the working surface
• Submerge one rice paper at a time into the water for a few seconds, drain well and place it on the cloth. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the rice paper at 1/3 from the bottom
• Fold each side of the rice paper toward the middle and flip the lower side over the filling, gently press down to evacuate the air and roll upward to the end
• Transfer onto a tray by spacing the rolls so they don’t stick to each other. Let them dry for minimum an hour before frying
• Fill a frying pot halfway with the oil of your choice and heat up at 350F
• Double-fry the spring rolls in small batches, 5 minutes the first time when take them out and allow them to cool a bit while keep frying the rest. Fry them again for the second time until golden and crispy.
• For the dipping sauce nuoc cham:
• Add all ingredients except for the water into a glass container and let the sugar melt for about ten minutes
• Then add the water and combine well. Enjoy!