Crispy Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)

Preparation Combine the bean thread noodles, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and green onions in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the fish sauce, garlic, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Add the chicken and pork and using a fork, break up the meat, so it is thoroughly mixed with the seasonings. Add the noodle mixture and mix well. Set aside. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat and stir often to prevent sticking. If mixture seems too thick, add more water. This will be the "glue" to seal the edges of the wrapper. Cut the wrappers in half diagonally. You will have two equal triangles. Starting with the longest side toward you, place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom area of the triangle. Using your fingers, mold the filling into a cylinder 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Fold the two pointed ends of the wrapper in and roll to enclose. Dab a little cornstarch mixture along the edges (do not use too much "glue") and seal the roll. Set aside while you finish making the remaining rolls. Do not stack them. To fry, preheat a large wok or fry pan. When hot, pour enough oil in to completely cover the spring rolls. Heat to about 325 degrees. Carefully place the rolls into the oil. Do not crowd the pan or place the rolls on top of each other. Fry the spring rolls until filling is cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, turning often until they are nicely brown and crisp. If they brown too quickly, reduce the heat as the oil is too hot. Remove the cooked spring rolls from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and table salad . To enjoy a spring roll the Vietnamese way, put it on a lettuce leaf, top with cucumber and mint, and wrap it up. Then dip in Vietnamese dipping sauce. Chef Mai Pham shares her tips with Epicurious:Cha gio are traditionally made with rice paper wrappers. But the wrappers available in the United States are thicker than those used in Vietnam and, while fine for raw summer rolls, don't fry well — their thickness makes them too sticky. For fried spring rolls, Pham suggests using thin Chinese-style wheat wrappers. Do not be tempted to substitute wonton wrappers, which are also too thick. • Bean thread noodles, also called glass or cellophane noodles, are thin, transparent, wiry noodles made from mung bean starch. They're sold dried at Asian grocery stores and many supermarkets. • Tree ears, also called wood ears, cloud ears, or black fungus, are thin black mushrooms that add crunch to many Asian dishes. They're sold dried in Asian markets. "Avoid the larger two-toned mushrooms as they can be tough and gritty, especially around the stems," says Pham. • Fish sauce (nuoc mam), a pungent, salty liquid made from fermented anchovies, adds depth and flavor to numerous Vietnamese dishes. For best results, choose bottles priced at $3 to $4 rather than $1, and pass on jars that are dark, which indicates oxidation or the presence of additives. "Look for fish sauce in glass jars. Avoid plastic," says Pham. "The fish sauce should have a nice, even color, like iced tea." She suggests Three Crabs, Lobster Boy, and Phu Quoc brands. When cooking with fish sauce, always add it to other liquids: Never place it directly in a hot, dry pan, which would broadcast its pungent, fishy odor throughout your kitchen in a less-than-pleasant way. Soy sauce is an acceptable vegetarian substitute, though it does lack fish sauce's smoky complexity. • Like dough, spring roll filling should not be overmixed or it will become too dense. Use your hands or a fork to gently mix the ingredients together. Reprinted with permission from The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking. by Mai Pham. ©1996 Prima Publishing. Member of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.