Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit)

The Holidays are around the corner and that means one thing. Gaining weight with lots of good food.

Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit)

One of my favorite dishes to make during the Holidays is Vietnamese shrimp and pork egg rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit). It’s a combination of traditional Vietnamese egg rolls (Cha Gio) and whole shrimp. Carry a basket of these bad boys to a dinner party and you’ll be the life of the party… or at least until the egg rolls runs out.

If you don’t like pork or would like a simpler appetizer, check out the shrimp version.

Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit)

Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit)

How to Assemble Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit)

Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit) Ready for the Fryer

Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Egg Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit)

Makes 28

Ingredients

Shrimp Marinade

• 2 lbs size 21-25 shrimp (Peel, devein, set aside 10 shrimp and mince into paste for pork mixture)
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar



Pork Marinade

• 8 oz ground pork
• Shrimp paste (see above)
• 1 green onion (slice thin)
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspon sesame oil
• Pinch black pepper



Other Ingredients

• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 package egg roll wrapper (2 lbs)
• Oil for deep frying
• Bottled sweet chili dipping sauce or make your own

Instructions

1. Set aside 10 shrimp. Marinate the rest of the shrimp with oyster sauce and sugar for at least 30 minutes.
2. Mince the reserved 10 shrimp into a paste and combine with ground pork. Marinate the ground pork mixture with green onion, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and black pepper for at least 30 minutes.
3. Assemble the egg rolls. See step-by-step picture above.
4. In a large pan, heat oil to 325°F. Deep fry for 3-5 minutes per batch. Remove and drain excess oil on wired rack or paper towels. Serve with a sweet chili dipping sauce. Note: You can also assemble the egg rolls in advance and keep them in freezer. No need to defrost once you are ready to fry. The cooking time will increase slightly..

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Mam Kho Quet is a sauce and vegetable dish derived from poverty when Vietnamese farmers had plentiful vegetables but very little protein. The dipping sauce is made by caramelizing fish sauce and sugar in a small clay pot with a small amount of pork, dried shrimp, dried fish, and/or pork fat. The sauce is then served in the clay pot alongside a platter of fresh and boiled vegetables, such as cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, daikon, okra and squash. Mam Kho Quet is all about stretching a small amount of protein to add calories, as well as flavor, to an otherwise meager meal of mostly vegetables.

Although, Mam Kho Quet is a Vietnamese peasant dish, you can find it nowadays in many high-end restaurants all over Saigon. It's a taste of the past that is making its way back to mainstream Vietnam. Plus, it’s a great way to eat your vegetables!

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (You can also use rendered pork fat from making fried pork fat)
• 1 small shallot (thinly slice)
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (about 10 small shrimp, presoak in warm water to soften then drain dry)
• 1 garlic clove (roughly chop)
• 2 tablespoons good quality fish sauce
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Pinch black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fried pork fat (optional)
• 1-4 chili peppers (optional)
• Assorted fresh and boiled vegetables cut into sticks or bite sizes (cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, daikon, okra, bitter melon, op squash, winter melon, etc.)

Instructions

1. In the very small clay pot, add oil. Heat on medium high then add shallot and dried shrimp. Stir until fragrant. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
2. Add fish sauce and sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes until mixture starts to boil and slightly thickens. Turn off heat.
3. Top with black pepper, fried pork fat and chili peppers. Serve sauce in clay pot with fresh and/or boiled vegetables.

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)

Vietnamese Vegetable Dipping Sauce with Caramelized Fish Sauce (Mam Kho Quet)