Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Cha Gio Chay) Recipe
Recipe
Ingredients
ACCOMPANIMENTS
1 vegetable platter 8 oz thin rice vermicelli (bun) or: 2 bunch japanese alimentary paste noodles (, somen). 1 peanut sauce or nuoc cham
FILLING
1 oz cellophane (bean thread) noodles 1 tbsp 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 lb firm bean curd (tofu), crumbled 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, coarsely choppe, d 6 garlic cloves, minced 3 tbsp nuoc mam (vietnamese fish sauce) 2 eggs 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
ASSEMBLY AND FRYING
1/2 cup sugar 40 small rounds of rice papers (banh trang),, 6 1/2 inches in di 1 peanut oil for frying
Recipe
Preparation
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.
Servings:
1
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Food Tips of the Week
Diet tips
At the start of a diet, people most certainly look at food store and big brand food items labelled 'low in fat'. To do this is far too often a miscalculation, in that an item could be significantly reduced in fats, but nevertheless elavated in calories and carbs.
The argument against low carbohydrate diets
Its extremely popular, but it is really safe for you?
Moreover, it has been proposed that the kidneys can come under too much strain and that the consequential change in acid levels in the blood causes bone damage, but some of the medical studies testing the theory have found no evidence of deterioration of the kidneys or loss of bone.
Whilst there is anecdotal evidence that suggests that reduced carb diets can help eliminate fat, some of this anecdotal evidence has caused controversy between nutrition gurus, and their relative safety has been the cause of great debate
Foods containing allyl sulfides
( includes garlic, leeks and welsh onion)
The onion and garlic range of vegetables is rich in allyl sulphides, a chemical which experts believe could be linked to a reduced risk of stomach and colon cancer.
Even though there is little definitive proof obtainable, allyl sulfides are also thought by many researchers to reduce symptoms with blood circulation, sterilization and diabetes.
Foods containing allyl sulfides are also good for weight loss, so should be included in your diet system.
Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Cha Gio Chay) Recipe from the Recipes 4U Cookbook
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