Crispy Vietnamese Pork Spring Rolls

Ingredients

• ½ lb ground pork
• 12 sheets rice paper wrappers (8-inch rounds)
• ¾ cup fresh mint and cilantro, chopped together
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

1. 1

   Mince the garlic until pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip dot size—using a chef's knife on a cutting board.

2. 2

   Chop the mint and cilantro together into small pieces until they're about the size of confetti; combine in a small bowl and set aside.

3. 3

   Pour 2 tablespoons of fish sauce into a small bowl for dipping sauce and set aside; reserve 1 tablespoon for the filling.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a 3-quart pot or wok over medium-high heat until a wooden chopstick dipped in it produces steady, vigorous bubbles, about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   While oil heats, place ground pork in a bowl with the minced garlic, chopped herbs, and reserved 1 tablespoon fish sauce; mix with your fingers until just combined.

6. 6

   Fill a shallow dish with room-temperature water; dip one rice paper into the water for exactly 3 seconds until it's slightly flexible but still stiff, then lay it flat on a clean surface.

7. 7

   Spoon 1.5 tablespoons of pork filling onto the lower third of the rice paper in a 3-inch horizontal line, leaving 1 inch space on each side.

8. 8

   Fold the bottom edge of the rice paper up and over the filling, then fold the left and right sides inward toward the center like an envelope flap.

9. 9

   Roll the bundle away from you tightly until sealed, using your fingertips to press as you roll; the finished roll should be a cylinder about 3 inches long.

10. 10

    Repeat filling and rolling with remaining rice paper and pork mixture until you have 12 rolls total; place seam-side down on a plate.

11. 11

    Carefully lower 4 rolls into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or tongs; they should sizzle immediately and gently float to the surface.

12. 12

    Cook for 2 minutes until the bottom side turns golden amber, then use tongs to flip each roll and cook the other side for 2 more minutes until equally golden.

13. 13

    Transfer the cooked rolls to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon; repeat with remaining rolls in batches of 4, waiting 30 seconds between batches.

14. 14

    Serve warm rolls on a plate with the fish sauce dipping bowl alongside; eat rolls whole or dipped in the sauce.

Tools you’ll need

• chef's knife
• cutting board
• small bowl (×2)
• 3-quart pot or wok
• wooden chopstick or thermometer
• shallow dish for water
• clean kitchen surface
• slotted spoon or tongs
• paper towel-lined plate

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