These Vietnamese fried rolls have a savory filling of mushrooms, glass noodles and carrot, wrapped in thin, crisp rice paper. Serve them with lettuce, fresh herbs and tangy nước chấm chay.
Chả giò is a name often used for Vietnamese fried rolls; names and wrapping techniques vary by region and household. This version is vegetarian and uses rice paper, mushrooms, glass noodles, carrot and wood ear mushrooms. It’s one take on the dish, rather than a fixed regional standard. The mushrooms give the filling a deep, savory flavor, while the wood ear mushrooms mainly add a light, springy bite. Carrot brings a little sweetness and color.
The most important step for a crisp result is to cook the filling until dry and let it cool before rolling. Mushrooms and carrot release moisture; if it gets trapped inside the rolls, the rice paper can turn limp or split during frying. Chop the ingredients finely and cook until the moisture has evaporated from the pan. The glass noodles meanwhile absorb some of the flavor and help hold the filling together. Don’t just let the filling cool; let it steam off, too: a wide plate works faster than a deep bowl.
Dried wood ear mushrooms and glass noodles are usually available at Asian grocery stores. Soak the wood ear mushrooms until pliable and trim away any tough bits. For the mushrooms, try shiitake and oyster mushrooms; regular button mushrooms work too, though they have a milder flavor. If you don’t have wood ear mushrooms, replace them with a small amount of extra mushrooms. The distinctive crisp, elastic bite will be missing, but the rolls will still turn out well. Soak the rice paper briefly, following the package instructions: soaking it for too long makes it difficult to handle.
Fry in neutral oil at about 170 °C and work in small batches so the temperature doesn’t drop too much. A kitchen thermometer helps; without one, lower a small piece of rice paper into the oil: it should bubble gently straight away, without turning dark. After frying, place the rolls on a rack or paper towels and leave a little space between them so the outside stays crisp. Serve warm with lettuce leaves, mint and cilantro. The fresh, sweet-and-sour nước chấm chay cuts through the savory crispness; if you prefer more heat, add extra chili to the sauce.
Soak the wood ear mushrooms in plenty of warm water for 20 minutes. Drain, trim away any tough bits and finely chop the mushrooms. Soak the glass noodles according to the package instructions, drain and cut into pieces about 5 cm long.
Finely chop the mushrooms. Coarsely grate the carrot and finely chop the shallots and two cloves of garlic.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Briefly cook the shallot and garlic in a splash of neutral oil. Add the mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms and carrot and cook until the moisture has evaporated. Stir in the glass noodles, soy sauce and black pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Spread the filling out on a plate and leave to cool completely.
Make the nước chấm chay: stir the warm water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Mix in the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and chili. Set aside.
Fill a wide dish with lukewarm water. Briefly dip one rice paper wrapper in the water and place it on a clean cutting board. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling just below the center. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold the sides in and roll up tightly. Repeat with the remaining wrappers. Place the rolls on a lightly greased plate, leaving a little space between them.
Heat about 5 cm of neutral oil in a sturdy pan to 170 °C. Fry the rolls in small batches, without letting them touch, for 4–6 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Carefully turn them halfway through. Drain on a rack or paper towels.
Serve the rolls warm with the lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro and nước chấm chay. If you like, wrap a roll with some herbs in a lettuce leaf and dip it in the sauce.
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