Crispy Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

Step 1

Soak dried wood ear mushrooms in hot water 15 minutes until soft. Drain, squeeze dry, chop finely.

Step 2

Mix ground pork, minced mushrooms, garlic, fish sauce, and 0.25 tsp salt in a bowl until combined.

Step 3

Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Dip one rice paper wrapper until pliable, ~5 seconds per side.

Step 4

Place 1.5 tbsp pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold bottom corner up, fold sides in, roll tightly.

Step 5

Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling until all rolls are complete (makes ~20 rolls).

Step 6

Heat oil in a deep heavy pot to 350°F (175°C) over medium-high heat, ~10 minutes. Test with a bread cube.

Step 7

Fry rolls in batches of 5–6 without crowding, 4–5 minutes per batch, until deep golden brown on all sides.

Step 8

Transfer rolls to a paper towel–lined plate. Rest 2 minutes to crisp.

Step 9

Whisk 3 tbsp fish sauce, juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp water, and 1 tbsp sugar. Serve alongside rolls.