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1
Combine the ground pork, prepared glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, carrot, and shallots in a bowl. Add the fish sauce, white pepper, and sugar. Mix thoroughly by hand until the seasoning is evenly distributed. Taste the raw mixture for seasoning — once the rolls are sealed, no adjustment is possible.
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2
Fill a wide, shallow dish with cold water. Dip one sheet of rice paper into the water for 8–10 seconds, then lay it flat on a clean work surface. It should be pliable and just yielding — neither stiff nor sodden.
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3
Place a portion of filling along the bottom third of the pliable rice paper sheet. Fold the bottom edge up and over the filling. Fold in both sides firmly. Roll tightly forward to seal. The rice paper adheres to itself from its own residual moisture; no egg or starch wash is required. The finished roll should feel compact and taut with no air pockets.
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4
This is where the dish lives or dies. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 170°C and maintain that temperature throughout frying. Too high, and the exterior browns before the wrapper can fully dehydrate; too low, and the rice paper starch absorbs oil rather than crisping. Lower the rolls in batches without crowding and fry for 5–6 minutes. The wrapper transforms from opaque white to a deep, even amber; the surface becomes shatteringly crisp — the signature lacy, near-translucent crispness of a correctly fried chả giò.
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5
Remove the rolls with a spider or slotted spoon and drain upright or on a rack — never flat on paper, which traps steam and softens the base. The exterior should remain rigid and audibly crisp when tapped.