NEMS

submitted by: Kathleen Pierce (Macomber for you ICAers)

Pork and shrimp filling (recipe follows)
Dipping sauce (recipe follows)
Rice paper (We use spring roll wrappers—best thing is to find an Asian food store for these.)
1 egg
oil (peanut oil is best, but Canola works too and is cheaper)
lettuce leaves
mint

To fill and roll each paper, place 1 paper in front of you with a bottom corner toward you like a diamond. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling toward the bottom. Beginning with the corner near you, begin to roll tightly up. Once all the filling is encompassed, fold in the sides and continue to roll up. Once hear the upper tip, brush on some egg so the roll will seal.

Note: Be sure to keep a damp cloth/paper towel over the rice paper in the package as you work. Also keep a moist cloth or paper towel over your finished rolls.

Deep fry in oil that is 350 degrees.

FILLING

Soak 3 or 4 large dried black fungus in warm water to cover until soft (15-20 minutes). Pinch out and discard hard, knobby centers; cut remaining fungus into thin strips about 1 inch long. Set aside. Also soak 1 oz. bean threads in warm water to cover until soft (about 30 minutes). Drain and cut into 1-inch lengths. Set aside.
Heat 1 T. salad oil in a wok or side frying pan over high heat. Add ½ lb. ground pork and ½ c. finely chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until pork is lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Add ¼ lb. medium-size shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed; continue cooking until shrimp turns pink (about 2 more minutes).
Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 large carrot, shredded; 2 ½ t. sugar; ½ t. each salt and pepper; fungus; bean threads; and ¼ lb. bean sprouts, cut into 1-inch pieces. Stir until well combined; let cool to room temperature.

(ALTHOUGH THE RECIPE CALLS FOR YOU TO COOK THE PORK, WE DO NOT. IT WORKS BETTER TO MIX EVERYTHING RAW. TASTES MORE AUTHENTIC.)

SAUCE

In bowl, stir together 2 T. fish sauce or soy sauce (fish sauce is better!), 1 T. lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed, 2 T. sugar, ¼ c. warm water, and 2 T. finely shredded carrot. Stir until sugar is dissolved. (Add some red pepper flakes for some extra kick!)

Note: Add some heat to the sauce with cayenne pepper or dried chile peppers.