Vietnamese Spring Rolls (a.k.a. Cha Gio)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb lean minced pork
1/2 lb peeled, deveined and minced shrimps
4 oz crab meat
3/4 cup grated carrots
6 finely chopped medium sized shallots or small onions
3 minced cloves of garlic
3 oz dried glass noodles or soh hoon or rice vermicelli
1 egg
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp ground white pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
spring roll wrappers (I like the frozen ones, though the dry rice wraps are good too, just more difficult to work with)
oil (for frying)


DIRECTIONS

Soak the soh hoon or dried glass noodles or rice vermicelli in water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain the noodles and cut them into 3 inch lengths.

Combine all the above ingredients (except wrappers and oil) and make sure everything is mixed well.

On a damp tea towel, place a wrap, and fill with a couple of tablespoons of the pork mixture in a sausage like shape at one end of the wrap. Fold sides in, then begin rolling spring roll at the mixture side. Seal roll by moistening edge with water.

Heat oil over medium-high heat.

Fry rolls, turning frequently until cooked through and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and serve with Spring Roll Sauce (Nuoc Mam). Keep warm in heated oven.

Note: The spring rolls may be made ahead, and frozen, and then fried when thawed. Spring rolls may be kept in fridge until ready to fry too, up to a day or two in advance. Ground chicken may be substituted for the pork.