Put on gloves and peel 1.1 lbs taro root (500 grams), then wash and shred it using a vegetable grater. You can also finely julienne it by hand, but it takes longer. Soak the wood ear mushrooms until they expand, then rinse several times and slice into thin strips. Finely chop the green onions. Mince the pork.

In a large bowl, combine the pork, wood ear mushrooms, and taro. Add MSG (optional), sugar, fish sauce or chicken bouillon powder, and mix everything well.

Heat a skillet over the stove with a little oil. Add the taro filling and stir-fry just until it’s slightly cooked and sticky, then turn off the heat. Add black pepper and green onions, and mix well. Don’t overcook the filling or it won’t taste as good.

Separate the pia rice paper wrappers and fill each one with the taro mixture. Fold in the sides and roll into medium-sized rolls. Since pia wrappers are soft, you don’t need to moisten them with water. Continue rolling until all the filling is used. Heat a pan with plenty of oil and fry the rolls seam-side down so they don’t open. Fry over medium heat until golden brown, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Serve the egg rolls with sweet and sour fish sauce and fresh herbs, lettuce. They’re also delicious dipped in chili sauce. You can add shrimp, sweet potato, or jicama to the filling if you like. I stir-fry the filling first because of the taro. Personally, I love taro because it’s fragrant and creamy when cooked. 😋