Snap. Crackle. Crunch. Quarantine.

Well, we are two weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic self isolation in Washington, DC. It’s been a very traumatic time for the DC food industry, and the food industry worldwide. I urge you to order take-out or delivery from your favorite restaurants, if they are offering it, or consider buying a gift card to those restaurants and businesses forced to close. Additionally, you can find an online tip jar for our service industry friends here, and an aggregated list of all food and beverage delivery/take-out options in your area here and here.

The silver lining in all of this? So much time to cook! I’ll be sharing quick recipes for things that I’ve been making during my time spent at home. If you have any questions for what to make with your pantry items, cooking inspiration, or words of wisdom, please reach out! You can email me at hangrydistrict@gmail.com.

First up? One of my top three favorite foods - Vietnamese crispy spring rolls. Don’t want to make them yourself? Check out Nam Viet restaurant for the best crispy spring rolls in the nation in Arlington, VA when they open back up!

I was introduced to the beauty of Vietnamese crispy spring rolls (or cha gio) when I started working in DC as an intern in 2008. A colleague of mine took me to Nam Viet and my life changed forever. These spring rolls are unlike any other Asian spring roll or egg roll that you’ve had before. The crispiness of the wrapper shatters in your mouth and the combination of meats and seasonings melts beneath it. It is pure bliss and a true addiction of mine.

After some research and consultations with Vietnamese cooks, I decided to make my own. It’s a time consuming process that requires patience, but the pay off is so rewarding. It’s the perfect thing to do while you’re stuck at home. Enjoy and don’t forget to dip liberally in the nuoc cham!

Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls

Hangry Timer: 2 Hours
Feeds: Yields ~24 rolls
Cost: $20

What you need:

20 x 22cm dried rice paper and tapioca wrappers
1  TBSP sugar
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Lettuce leaves to serve
Mint leaves to serve
Watercress to serve

For the filling:

1/3 cup dried glass noodles
1/2 lb. peeled, deveined and finely chopped shrimp
1/2 lb. ground pork
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 carrots, shredded
1/2cup wood ear mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 large egg
1 1/2 TBSP fish sauce
2 tsp. soy sauce
1  tsp.  sugar
2 tsp. pepper
1  tsp. salt

Nuoc cham dipping sauce:

3  TBSP fish sauce
2  TBSP rice vinegar (or white)
3  TBSP sugar
2  TBSP lime juice
1  long red chilli, finely chopped (thai, bird’s eye, Calabrian, etc.)
1  clove garlic, finely chopped

What to do with it:

For the nuoc cham, whisk together the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.

To make the filling, soak the glass noodles in hot water for about 10 minutes or until just softened. Drain well and rinse in cold water to stop the noodles from cooking further. Drain well and place onto a clean tea towel. Twist the tea towel around the noodles to extract as much water as possible. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Use scissors to cut the noodles into shorter lengths.

To the noodles, add the shrimp, pork, shallots, carrot, mushroom, garlic, egg, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, pepper and salt. Mix until well combined and tacky.

Place a clean damp tea towel or paper towel on your work surface.

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of warm water with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Place a rice paper wrapper onto the damp tea towel and dip your fingers into the sugar water. Coat the wrapper in the sugar water to just coat it in the liquid. Once pliable, place two heaping tablespoons of the filling onto the bottom half of the wrapper. Shape the filling into a cylinder shape. Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling and squeeze to expel any air. Fold in the sides and then roll up into a cylinder shape.* Place on a tray lined with parchment. Repeat until all the filling is used.

Place the tray of spring rolls into the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes.

Fill a saucepan or wok to about 1/3 capacity with the vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat.** Once the oil is hot (325°F or when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms small little bubbles) cook spring rolls until golden and blistered - about six to eight minutes. Drain on kitchen paper. For maximum crispiness, let cool and fry again for about three minutes.

Serve with the nuoc cham dipping sauce and use the lettuce leaves to wrap up the spring rolls along with a few mint leaves or herbs of your choice.

*When rolling the spring rolls, make sure to press as much air as possible out of the roll. Fold the sides in deliberately with creases and roll tightly.

**You do not want the oil to be too hot! Only heat over medium heat so that the rolls do not explode. They will take a bit of time, but they are worth the wait!