Nems - Vietnamese spring rolls

 

Ingredients

• Rice paper
• 100g prawns, cooked and chopped
• 100g crab meat
• 50g glass noodles
• Some Black Fungi (Cloud Ear mushroom) - 10 g dried is enough as they expand A LOT when soaked.
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• Pak choi, shredded finely
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Fresh ginger, grated
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method

Soak the noodles in tepid water until soft. then chop them roughly. Soak the Black Fungi in hot water for ten minutes, then cut into thin strips. 

Fry the onion in a little bit of oil. When the onion is cooked (translucent), add the shredded pak choi to soften it a bit, just a couple of minute, stirring often. Let it cool. 

Mix all the ingredients (apart from the rice paper) together in a big bowl.

Fill a tray with cold water. Soak a sheet of rice paper in the cold water for a few seconds, then place it on a clean tea towel. When it is soft, place it on a clean plate, put a tablespoon (or more, or less, depending on the size of the paper) of mixture on one edge. Fold the edge over the mixture, then fold the sides back, then roll to close it. 

Repeat with all the mixture. Heat some oil in a wok. I use enough to have 1 cm deep. Fry the nems, a few at a time, on all sides, until golden brown.

Alternatively, brush them with a tiny bit of oil and air fry for roughly 10 minutes.

Serve with big lettuce leaves and fresh mint, and soya sauce or fish sauce to dip.