Food & Receipts

The Perfectly Fried Cha La Lot: A Tasty Treat That’s Easy on the Eyes

Introducing the ultimate guide to frying Cha La Lot - a delicious Vietnamese dish that will impress both your taste buds and your guests. With this easy-to-follow recipe, you'll create mouth-watering Cha La Lot that's beautifully green and aesthetically pleasing. It's time to take your culinary skills to the next level and fry up a storm!

Administrator

10 July, 2024

116

Ingredients for Cha La Lot

Pork: 400g

La Lot leaves: 20-30 leaves

Scallions, shallots, garlic

Seasoning powder, seasoning sauce, monosodium glutamate, pepper, fish sauce, cooking oil

How to Make Delicious Cha La Lot That’s Not Dry

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Start by rinsing the pork and patting it dry. You can then grind or finely mince the meat. Alternatively, you can ask your butcher to grind it for you; this will add more flavor to your dish.

Peel and rinse the shallots and garlic, crush them, and mince them finely. Rinse the scallions and cut them into small pieces, about 0.3-0.5 cm in length. Rinse the la lot leaves and set the nice ones aside. Chop up any torn or ugly leaves and put them in a bowl.

Step 2: Marinate the Meat

In a bowl, mix the minced pork with the shallots, garlic, scallions, and chopped la lot leaves. This will make your Cha La Lot more flavorful and less cloying. Add 1 teaspoon each of seasoning powder, seasoning sauce, monosodium glutamate, and pepper, and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce. Mix everything well with a pair of gloves, and let the meat marinate for about 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.

You can also add a little cooking oil to prevent the meat from drying out. This will ensure that your Cha La Lot remains soft and juicy during frying.

Step 3: Roll the Cha La Lot

Take a la lot leaf and lay it vein-side up. Spoon a generous amount of the meat mixture onto the leaf and roll it up. Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the filling.

Step 4: Fry the Cha La Lot

Place a pan on the stove and turn on the heat. Add enough oil to coat the pan. This will prevent your Cha La Lot from sticking to the pan. Fry the rolls, starting with the side where the leaf extends beyond the meat. This will help secure the roll during cooking. Use chopsticks to turn the rolls occasionally for even cooking, about 10-15 minutes, until the leaves turn a golden-brown color. This indicates that the Cha La Lot is cooked through.

Once they’re done, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. This will ensure your dish is tasty and appealing.

Step 5: Serve

When your Cha La Lot is evenly browned, transfer them to a serving plate and enjoy this delicious dish with your family.

Frequently asked questions

Cha La Lot is a delicious and unique Vietnamese dish that consists of ground pork wrapped in wild betel leaves. It is then usually fried or grilled, resulting in a tasty treat that is full of flavor. The dish is popular due to its appealing presentation and distinct taste, offering a harmonious combination of sweet, savory, and slightly pungent flavors.

To make the perfect Cha La Lot, you’ll need to start with fresh, high-quality ingredients. Prepare a mixture of ground pork, shallots, garlic, and various spices, and then skillfully wrap this mixture in wild betel leaves. The key to perfection lies in achieving a balanced filling-to-leaf ratio and ensuring that the pork is well-seasoned. Finally, fry or grill the Cha La Lot until the pork is cooked through and the leaves turn a vibrant green, releasing their aromatic fragrance.

Wild betel leaves, known as ‘la lot’ in Vietnamese, impart a distinctive flavor and aroma to the dish. They have a slightly peppery and pungent taste that pairs perfectly with the savory pork filling. Additionally, these leaves contain beneficial compounds that aid digestion and are believed to have medicinal properties, making Cha La Lot not just tasty but also good for your health.

Absolutely! When frying Cha La Lot, use a moderate amount of oil and maintain a medium heat. This ensures that the pork cooks evenly and the leaves don’t burn. For an extra crispy texture, you can dip the Cha La Lot in beaten egg before frying. Also, don’t overcrowd the pan; fry the rolls in batches if needed. Finally, serve the Cha La Lot with a dipping sauce, such as a fish sauce-based dip, to enhance the flavor even further.

While the traditional recipe is a favorite, you can certainly experiment with variations. For a healthier option, you can steam or bake Cha La Lot instead of frying it. You can also substitute the ground pork with other types of ground meat, such as chicken or beef, to cater to different preferences. Additionally, feel free to adjust the spices and herbs used in the filling to create your own unique flavor profile.