Spring Roll Recipe

Prepare ingredients: mince garlic and ginger, thinly slice onion and mushrooms, julienne carrot, shred cabbage, slice green onion, and rinse bean sprouts.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbs vegetable oil. When hot, add the minced garlic and ginger and stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn).

Add the sliced onion and cook 1–2 minutes until slightly softened. Add carrot, mushrooms, and cabbage and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften but still have some bite.

Add bean sprouts and green onions and stir to combine. Cook another 1 minute.

Season the filling by adding 1.5 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 0.5 tsp sesame oil, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp white pepper. Stir to combine.

Make the cornstarch slurry: mix 1 tbs cornstarch with 1 tbs water until smooth, then add to the pan and stir quickly for 30–60 seconds until the mixture thickens slightly and binds the filling. Remove from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes) — cooling prevents wrappers from tearing and makes rolling easier.

Lay out one spring roll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner pointing toward you (diamond shape).

Place about 2–3 tbs of cooled filling near the corner closest to you, forming a log shape roughly 1 inch from the edges to allow sealing. Do not overfill (overfilling causes tearing when frying).

Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, then fold the left and right corners toward the center, enclosing the filling.

Brush a small amount of flour paste along the top corner edge to seal. (Make paste by mixing 2 tsp flour with 2 tsp water until smooth.) Roll the wrapper away from you tightly to form a sealed roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling (should make about 12 rolls).

Place assembled rolls seam-side down on a tray and cover lightly with a damp towel to prevent drying before frying.

Pour oil for deep-frying into a medium pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 1–1.5 inches (about 1 cup for a small pot). Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of wrapper sizzles and turns golden in about 20–30 seconds.

Working in batches (do not overcrowd), carefully add 3–4 spring rolls seam-side down into the hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, for 2.5–4 minutes until golden brown and crisp on all sides.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried rolls to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain briefly. Let rest 1–2 minutes — they will crisp further as they cool slightly.

Keep finished rolls warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) on a rack while frying remaining batches.

In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tbs ketchup, 2 tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 2 tbs water. Whisk to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs water to make a slurry. When the sauce simmers, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30–60 seconds until sauce thickens to a glossy dipping consistency. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving.

Arrange 3 spring rolls per serving on a plate with a small bowl of sweet & sour sauce for dipping. Serve hot and crisp.