golden spring rolls

3 min read

These golden batons hardly need an introduction. Gone are the days when spring rolls were largely eaten during the Spring Festival(aka Chinese New Year and hence the name’spring’ roll), for these little beauties are now adored all over the world-a ubiquitous finger food served at weddings, corporate functions and children’s parties alike. Follow our frying tips below for super-crispy spring rolls.

Makes 8-10 sheets thin spring roll pastry vegetable oil, for deep-frying sweet chilli or Worcestershire sauce, to serve for the filling 2 dried Chinese mushrooms 12 tsp granulated sugar, plus extra for soaking 150g pork mincze 12 tsp salt pinch ground white pepper 1 tsp very finely diced ginger 1 clove garlic, finely diced 1 tsp five-spice powder 2 carrots (100g), halved and thinly julienned 100g white cabbage, shredded 2 tsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp oyster sauce 14 tsp sesame oil add an exotic (see here) 2g mook yee(cloud ear) 1 Soak the Chinese mushrooms for the filling in a bowl of hot water with a pinch of sugar for 30 minutes, then drain. Remove and discard the stalks and finely julienne the caps. If you are adding an exotic: soak the mook yee in hot water for the same length of time, then drain and finely julienne.

2 In a bowl, mix the pork mince, salt, sugar, pepper, ginger, garlic, teaspoon five-spice powder and 1 tablespoon water together, then cover and chill for 20 minutes.

3 Put the carrots and 2 tablespoons water into a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Cover and cook for few minutes until the water has evaporated, then add the cabbage, mushrooms,mook yee (if using)and 100ml cold water. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the water has evaporated and the vegetables are tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4 Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pork and fry for a few minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cooked vegetables, oyster sauce, sesame oil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

5 To make the spring rolls, wet a piece of kitchen paper and keep it nearby. Put one pastry sheet on a work surface with one of the corners pointing towards you. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling just below the centre, shape it into a sausage about 15cm long, then line up the top edge of the sausage with the side corners of the pastry. Fold the bottom corner of the pastry over the filling and tuck it underneath the sausage, then make one full roll upwards. Wet the side flaps with the damp kitchen paper and fold them in towards the centre so that the newly folded edges are perpendicular to the bttom edge. It should nesemble an envelope. Wet the sides and tri-angular flap of the env dges only) then roll the sausage upwards until completely sealed.Repeat.

6 Fill a large saucepan or a wok two-thirds with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat.

For deep-fryers-, set the temperature to10°c/350°. To test that the oil is ready, drop in small piece of pastry It should fizzle. Deep-fry the spring rolls for 11/2-2 minutes, turning occasion-ally, until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with sweet chilli or Worcestershire sauce.