Cha Gio Re / Netted Egg Rolls

A few weeks ago, my dear friends Emily and Johnson took a trip down to Orange County. When they came back, they surprised me with a small souvenir that immediately caught my attention. A bag of frozen egg rolls. But these were not just any old egg rolls. They were Cha Gio Re, also known as Vietnamese netted egg rolls. Each one was filled with a mixture of pork, crab, and vegetables wrapped in these beautiful, web-like wrappers. When we fried them at home, they came out absolutely perfect. Light, shatteringly crisp, and golden with the most satisfying crunch. One bite in and I knew I had to recreate them. So today, I’m going to show you exactly how to make Cha Gio Re at home. Don’t let the intricate wrapper fool you. These egg rolls are much easier to make than you would think, and the payoff is huge.

What Is Cha Gio Re

Cha Gio Re is a Vietnamese-style egg roll made with a special netted wrapper rather than the traditional wheat-based or rice paper wrappers. The word “re” refers to the web-like or netted appearance of the wrapper when it is hydrated and stretched. What makes Cha Gio Re different from regular egg rolls is the texture. Traditional egg rolls are crisp, but Cha Gio Re is on another level. The netted wrapper fries up incredibly light and airy, creating a lace-like shell that is ultra-crunchy without feeling heavy or greasy.

The wrappers themselves are made from a thin batter of rice and tapioca flour, cooked into a delicate web. When dry, they look almost translucent and brittle. After frying, they puff slightly and turn deeply golden with an audible crunch. Flavor-wise, the wrapper stays neutral, which allows the filling to shine. The contrast between the crisp exterior and the juicy, savory filling is what makes these egg rolls so special.

How To Make Cha Gio Re

Prep Your Ingredients:

Before making egg rolls, I always start by prepping everything first. This makes the process smooth, fast, and stress-free. Start by taking your frozen netted egg roll wrappers out of the freezer and letting them thaw at room temperature for about thirty minutes.

Next, rehydrate the dried wood ear mushrooms and bean thread noodles in a bowl of water for ten minutes. Once softened, drain them well and finely chop both into small pieces. Peel and grate the carrots and set them aside.

Make The Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, lump crabmeat, chopped wood-ear mushrooms, bean thread noodles, and grated carrots. Add 1 whole egg, then fish sauce, sugar, MSG, and white pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly until the filling is evenly combined. You want a cohesive mixture, so every bite has a little bit of everything.

Make The Cha Gio Re

Lay one netted egg roll wrapper flat on a clean surface. Spoon a portion of the filling near the bottom center of the wrapper. Roll it over once, and mold the roll with your fingers, firmly pressing it together. Then fold in both sides and continue rolling tightly until you reach the end. Add a small dab of water to help seal the edge, then place the egg roll seam-side down on a tray while you roll the rest. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers are used.

Heat a neutral oil in a pot or deep fryer to 350F degrees. Carefully lower the egg rolls into the oil and fry for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding and maintain oil temperature. Once done, remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Cha Gio Re / Netted Egg Rolls

5.0 from 2 votes

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

US Metric

• 7 oz 7 Netted Egg Roll Wrap

• Oil, For Frying

• Filling:

• 1 lb 1 Ground Pork

• 8 oz 8 Crab Meat

• 1 oz 1 Bean Thread Noodles

• 1/4 cup 1/4 Dried Wood Ear Mushroom

• 2 oz 2 Carrot

• 1 1 Egg

• 1 tbsp 1 Fish Sauce

• 1 tsp 1 Sugar

• 1 tsp 1 MSG

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 White Pepper

Directions

• Prep Ingredients:
• Thaw frozen netted egg roll wrappers at room temperature for 30 minutes. Rehydrate dried wood ear mushrooms and bean thread noodles in water for 10 minutes. Drain well and finely chop both. Peel and grate carrots
• Make the Filling:
• In a large bowl, combine ground pork, lump crabmeat, chopped wood-ear mushrooms, bean thread noodles, and grated carrots. Add a whole egg, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined
• Make the Cha Gio Re:
• Lay one netted wrapper flat. Place filling near the bottom center. Roll once, shape, and press the filling into place, then fold in both sides, and continue rolling tightly. Dab the edge with water to seal, then place seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling
• Heat neutral oil to 350F. Fry egg rolls for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Fry in batches to maintain oil temperature. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Notes

• These egg rolls are excellent to make ahead of time and freeze well. After rolling, place the uncooked Cha Gio Re in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. These frozen egg rolls will last for months in the freezer and can be fried straight from frozen; just add a couple extra minutes of cooking time.

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