Spring Roll Recipe

Dive into the irresistible crunch of homemade spring rolls, where each bite unveils a savory blend of flavors wrapped in a golden, crispy shell. Perfect for any occasion, these rolls are a culinary delight that will leave you craving more.

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: asian

Keyword: Spring Roll Recipe

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 55

Servings: spring rolls

Ingredients

Filling:

6 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in boiling water OR 8 fresh Note 1
1 tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves finely chopped or minced
400 g / 13 oz pork mince ground pork, or chicken or turkey
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot 1 large or 2 small
1 1/2 cups packed shredded green cabbage (any type is fine)
1 1/2 cups heaped bean sprouts
1 1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp soy sauce light or all-purpose is best, dark is also okay
1 tsp cornflour / cornstarch

Spring Rolls:

15 – 20 spring roll wrappers defrosted (21.5 cm / 8” squares) OR 35 – 40 small spring roll wrappers (Note 2), or Egg Roll wrappers to make Egg Rolls (Note 6)
2 tsp cornflour for sealing rolls
1 tbsp water for sealing rolls
Oil for frying vegetable oil is ideal OR oil spray for baking (canola is a good choice)

Sweet and Sour Sauce (makes ~ 2/3 cup):

2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
2 tbsp water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar adjust to taste
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tsp soy sauce

Instructions

FILLING:

In a skillet or wok, heat oil over high heat. Toss in the garlic, giving it a quick stir, then add the minced pork. Cook the meat, breaking it into smaller pieces, until it turns white.
Next, add the shredded carrots, bean sprouts, cabbage, and mushrooms. Sauté for about 3 minutes or until the vegetables soften and wilt. Stir in the cornflour, soy sauce, and Oyster sauce, and continue cooking for another minute until the liquid evaporates and the filling becomes slightly sticky, ensuring it's not watery to avoid soggy spring rolls. Allow the filling to cool—speed this up by spreading it on a tray and refrigerating for 5 minutes. Cooling the filling prevents the spring rolls from bursting during cooking.

SPRING ROLL:

In a small bowl, mix the cornflour and water to create a paste for sealing the rolls.
Carefully separate one spring roll wrapper, keeping the others covered with a damp tea towel to prevent drying. Lay the wrapper on a flat surface with the smooth side facing down, positioned like a diamond. Place a generously heaped dessert spoonful of filling near the bottom. Begin rolling tightly halfway, fold in the sides, then continue rolling to the top. Use the cornflour paste to seal the edges. The final rolls should measure approximately 12 cm / 5” in length and 2.5 cm / 1” in width.
Heat enough oil in a wok or deep saucepan so that the spring rolls are fully submerged when frying. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot—test by dipping a bamboo chopstick or wooden spoon handle in; if bubbles form rapidly, the oil is ready.
Carefully lower the spring rolls into the hot oil, cooking 4 to 5 at a time. Fry, turning occasionally, until they achieve a deep golden color, which takes around 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
Repeat the process with the remaining spring rolls. Serve them hot, paired with the Sweet and Sour Sauce.

BAKING option:

For a baked alternative, arrange the spring rolls on a wire rack placed over a baking tray. Generously spray the rolls with oil on all sides. Bake at 200°C/400°F (standard) or 180°C/350°F (fan/convection) for 20 to 25 minutes until they turn golden and crispy. There's no need to flip them during baking.

SWEET and SOUR SAUCE:

In a small saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Notes

Shiitake Mushrooms: Rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking them in plenty of boiled water for about 20 minutes, or until they soften (skip this step if using fresh mushrooms). Once rehydrated, drain and squeeze out the excess water as if squeezing a sponge, then finely chop. Dried shiitake mushrooms, found in Asian grocery stores and the Asian section of some supermarkets in Australia, offer a more concentrated mushroom flavor similar to porcini mushrooms, adding a rich umami to your dish. If using fresh mushrooms, finely chop them and add them before the carrots to ensure they cook thoroughly and release all their moisture (since a wet filling can cause spring rolls to burst).
Spring Roll Wrappers: Spring roll wrappers can be easily found in the frozen section of Australian supermarkets like Woolies, Coles, and Harris Farms. These wrappers are typically made from wheat. Alternatively, you can use rice paper wrappers, commonly used for Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls, but they must be soaked first before wrapping. Rice paper wrappers will yield crispy rolls with a bubbly, semi-transparent surface, similar to Crispy Rice Paper Fish Parcels.
Wrapper Handling: When handling the wrappers, note that one side is slightly rough while the other is smoother. For the best presentation, wrap with the smooth side facing outwards—though this isn’t crucial to the final product. 😊
Oil Usage in Woks: Woks are more efficient for frying because their shape allows for more surface area while using less oil compared to a saucepan or skillet.
Frying vs. Baking: Check the photos in the post for a comparison between baked and fried spring rolls—they look quite similar! Frying produces a more delicate, crispy, and flaky texture, which is traditional for spring rolls. Baking, while still resulting in crispy rolls, offers a slightly different texture where the wrapper's flavor is more pronounced. If baking, be sure to spray the rolls very generously with oil! If you’re not using a rack, flip the rolls after about 15 minutes.
Make-Ahead/Freezing: To prepare in advance, freeze the spring rolls before cooking and cook them straight from frozen. It’s best to serve them freshly cooked, so avoid storing cooked rolls.
Nutrition Information: The estimated nutrition per spring roll (excluding sauce) is conservative, assuming about 1 teaspoon of oil per roll, which is likely on the lower side since the wrapper doesn't absorb much oil and the filling remains non-greasy. Other sources suggest around 150 calories per spring roll.