At home, we always spend hours making spring rolls 'Chun juan'. I make it in the morning and serve it all day long. It mark the start of the spring season. chun means 'spring' which is why these rolls are good to eat at Chinese new year eve.
Again, I only serve vegetarian food during the first 3 days of the new year for good karma. I made these fabulous spring rolls recipe to be fabulous. A variety are such as cabbage, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, shiitake mushroom,s, leeks, spring onions or shredded carrots.
Servings: 50 egg rolls
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 fresh shiitake mushroom or dried shiitake (soak in boiling water until soft), julienned
- 1pkt 500g pack glass noodles (Buy it from here: http://www.noodlesonly.com/
- 1/2 small cabbage (about 3 cups), shredded (napa or regular cabbage)
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained and julienned
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 stalk spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek, julienned
- 1 shredded carrot
- 2 handfuls of fresh bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- salt according to taste
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (add water to become paste)
- 50 spring roll wrappers, defrosted
- cooking oil, for frying
Instructions:
*If using Chinese dried mushrooms, soak them in very hot water for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Cut off and discard the stem.
In a large saute pan or wok, swirl in 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil. Turn on the heat to medium-high and immediately add garlic, ginger and green onion, stirring frequently. By the time the oil is hot, add the mushrooms, cabbage, carrots and bamboo shoots.
Turn heat to high and stir-fry the vegetables for about 2 minutes. and then toss in the bean sprouts. Add in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook for another minute. Then spread the filling out onto a large baking sheet. Prop the baking sheet up on one side to allow any sauce or oil to accumulate at the bottom (and discard)
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of cool water to form a paste
How to fold spring roll: http://www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-Spring-Roll . Note: I using store-bought rice wrapper/sheets, start the process from step 4 onwards. At Step 9, instead of sealing the spring rolls with eggs I use cornstach paste prepared earlier.
In a large wok or saucepan over high heat, add about 1-2 inches of cooking oil
Slide several egg rolls into the oil and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes, turning them over a couple times, or until the wrappers are golden brown. Remove the spring rolls to a cooling rack or paper-towel-covered plate to allow them to drain. Serve hot.
