Chinese Spring Rolls Recipes

Steps:

• Mix marinade ingredients well. Add pork. Mix well and marinate at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
• Saute cabbage and carrots in 1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in wok until crisp-tender. Alternately, steam vegetables in a bamboo steamer until crisp-tender (about 5 minutes). Spread out on a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan and put in refrigerator (or freezer, if you're in a hurry) until thoroughly cold. Saute meat in wok in 1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until no longer pink. Continue to saute until all moisture/juices have evaporated. Meat should appear dry. Spread out on another cookie sheet or jellyroll pan and put in refrigerator (or freezer, if you're in a hurry) until thoroughly cold. Stir together cooled meat, binder mixture, cooled cabbage and carrots, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and green onions. Mix well. Make sure filling is cool to the touch.
• Combine sealer ingredients and mix until smooth. Place one wrapper on the counter with a point facing toward you, so the wrapper looks diamond-shaped, not square. Place a small amount of filling, about 1/4 cup, about 1/3 of the way up on on the wrapper. roll the wrapper tightly, tucking in the sides, to form a narrow finished roll about 1/2 to 2/3 inch in diameter. Seal the roll by brushing the triangle end flap with sealer for about the last 1-1/2 to 2 inches. Keep finished rolls under a damp towel or a couple of damp paper towels. Can be refrigerated or frozen at the point. For long term storage in freezer, put rolls in plastic bags.
• To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and stir well. To make the alternate dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring until smooth. Strain and cool.
• Heat 1 quart vegetable oil in wok to about 350 degrees. Add rolls one at a time. Do not crowd. Cook in batches of 8 to 10 until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Regulate heat as necessary to maintain temperature. Don't let temperature go over 375 degrees. Cut in half diagonally and serve warm with a Chinese mustard for dipping and one of the soy-sauce based dipping sauces listed above. Cutting the rolls in half diagonally facilitates absorption of the sauce into the filling when the roll is dipped. Also, it makes the rolls go farther and be easier for people to handle at a party, etc. Cooled rolls can be reheated at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, wrapped in foil.

Steps:

• Shred vegetables to the same size and shape as bean sprouts.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok and stir-fry vegetables for 1 minute.
• Add salt, sugar, light soy sauce, and rice wine.
• Stir-fry 2 minutes more; drain and cool.
• To make a spring roll, cut the wrapper in half diagonally.
• Place 1 tbsp of veggie mixture one-third of the way down the wrapper, then turn the wrapper so the small tip of the diagonal is pointing away from you.
• Fold the wide edge of the wrapper over the filling and roll over one time.
• Fold in the sides, and roll the wrapper away from you one time more.
• Brush the upper edge of the wrapper with cornstarch paste (to make cornstarch paste, simply mix 4 parts cornstarch to 5 parts cold water, and stir till dissolved).
• Finish rolling the spring roll, keeping it a bit tight.
• Sprinkle some flour on a baking sheet (to keep spring rolls from sticking), and rest the spring rolls there, flap side down, while you finish making the other rolls.
• To cook, heat the oil in a wok or fryer until hot, then reduce the heat to low.
• Fry the spring rolls in batches, making sure not to crowd, cooking until they are golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove rolls from oil and drain on paper toweling.
• Serve hot with soy sauce, or sweet and sour and hot mustard, if desired.