Fish wrapped in rice paper, also known as Cha Ca, is a traditional Vietnamese dish popular worldwide for its unique textures and flavors. These bite-sized parcels, made with tender fish fillets and an array of aromatic herbs and vegetables, are wrapped in translucent rice paper, creating a crispy yet delicate exterior. Steamed or pan-fried, these delightful bundles burst with savory, sweet, and herbal notes, making them a perfect appetizer or main course for any occasion. This comprehensive article delves into the intricacies of crafting this culinary gem, providing you with step-by-step instructions, ingredient variations, and expert tips to help you create impeccable fish wrapped in rice paper that will tantalize your taste buds and impress your guests.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
RICE PAPER WRAPPED FISH
A dish that takes no time to whip up, but good for a normal meal or finger food for a party you are organizing. Double the recipe...it's worth it! From Donna Hay's Dining cookbook
Provided by KitchenManiac
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 25m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Wash fish, pat dry on absorbent paper and cut into 12 pieces.
- Place chillies, sesame oil, coriander, basil and cumin seeds in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and grind until they form a rough paste.
- Spread paste over fish.
- Brush rice papers with warm water and set aside for 4 minutes or until they are soft.
- Place a piece of fish on each round, fold in sides and roll to enclose.
- Heat a little oil in a frypan over medium heat.
- Cook fish parcels for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until rice paper is golden and crispy, and fish is tender.
- Drain on absorbent paper.
- Sprinkle fish with sesame seeds, and serve with steamed asian greens drizzled with oyster sauce and steamed jasmine rice.
CRACKLING RICE PAPER-WRAPPED FISH
A special presentation and taste. The wrapping is the dried rice papers from Vietnamese/Thai foodstores.
Provided by Wendys Kitchen
Categories Vietnamese
Time 40m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Divide fish into 4 equal portions.
- Combine salt, pepper, and curry powder.
- Sprinkle over fish.
- Fill bowl with warm water. Dipping rice paper rounds until just soft.
- Place 2 pieces coriander in centre of paper, top with fish, sprinkle over chives.
- Fold the edge of rice paper closest to you over the fish. Fold in the sides and lastly tuck the furthest side over.
- Heat oil in frying pan.
- Fry wrap seam side down for 3- 5 minutes, then turn and fry for a further 3 - 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Repeat for all and serve.
RICE PAPER WRAPS WITH VEGETABLES
Steps:
- In a large bowl filled with warm water, soak 1 rice paper wrapper for about 20 seconds or until soft. Lay wrapper out on a tea towel to absorb excess water. Transfer wrapper to a flat surface. About 1/3 from the bottom of the wrapper, create a 3-inch long row by placing some cilantro leaves followed by some red pepper, yellow pepper, snow peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, buckwheat noodles and a little ginger. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top 1/3 of the rice wrapper with black sesame seeds. Carefully fold the bottom of the rice paper wrapper over the vegetables. Turn in the sides and continue rolling up from the bottom.
- To serve, slice the roll in half on a bias. Serve with Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Toss the cooked buckwheat noodles in the sesame mixture. Set aside.
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Allow the sauce to stand for 30 minutes so that the flavors can infuse. Serve at room temperature.
FISH WRAPPED IN RICE PAPER
Steps:
- Sauce: In a mini-processor, process the ginger, chipotle, garlic and soy sauce into a paste. In a nonreactive saucepan, boil the orange and carrot juices over high heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and simmer until thickened. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the ginger paste and keep warm. Fish & Spinach: Cut the fish into 4 equal pieces. Remove any bones. Season the fish lightly with salt, brush the top with 1 teaspoon of the ginger paste and top with the cilantro. Set aside in the refrigerator. Brush the rice paper wrappers on both sides with the egg white; let stand until pliable, about 2 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In batches, toss the spinach in a large hot skillet until barely wilted, transferring each batch to a colander. Let drain (or lightly spin in a salad spinner). Coarsely chop the spinach and add salt to taste. Sweat the garlic in a small amount of water in a saucepan. When cooked, add the spinach, tossing to distribute the garlic. Add water if necessary to keep the spinach moist. Cover and keep warm. Set the fish, ginger paste down, on the rice wrappers and fold the sides like an envelope to enclose the fish. Coat a smooth-bottomed nonstick oven proof skillet with nonstick spray and heat. Add the fish packets, seam sides down, and cook over moderate heat until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Spray the packets, turn and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Turn the packets again seam side down and bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the fish is firm when pressed. Presentation: Pour orange sauce on 4 plates. Arrange a bed of spinach on one side of the plate, and top with a fish packet. Spoon the rice on the other side, being careful not to cover all the sauce. Garnish with cilantro.
FISH AND RICE PACKETS
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cut four 12x15-inch sheets of parchment paper. Fold each in half widthwise and reopen.
- Mix rice, green olives, chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
- Spoon 3/4 cup of the rice mixture onto 1 side of each parchment rectangle, near the crease. Lay 1 piece of cod on top. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over fish; lay 1 orange slice on top.
- Fold empty half of parchment over cod and rice mixture; crimp edges together with overlapping folds to seal. Arrange packets close together on a sheet pan.
- Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven until cod flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 17 minutes. Unfold 1 edge of the parchment, being careful to avoid steam, and look inside to check doneness.
- Open packets carefully, being careful to avoid steam. Slide cod and rice mixture into bowls. Garnish with almonds and parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 327 calories, Carbohydrate 31.1 g, Cholesterol 42.4 mg, Fat 11.1 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 24.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 905.9 mg, Sugar 6.4 g
Tips:
- Choose the right fish: A firm fish like cod, salmon, or tilapia works best for this recipe, as it won't break apart easily when wrapped in the rice paper.
- Cut the fish thinly: The thinner the fish is sliced, the easier it will be to wrap in the rice paper.
- Use fresh herbs: Fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, and mint add a lot of flavor to this dish, so don't skimp on them.
- Be careful not to overcook the fish: The fish should be cooked through, but not overcooked, otherwise it will become tough.
- Serve immediately: This dish is best served immediately, as the rice paper can become soggy if it sits for too long.
Conclusion:
Fish wrapped in rice paper is a delicious and healthy appetizer or main course that can be easily made at home. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create a dish that is sure to impress your friends and family. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting way to cook fish, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love