Chinese · Fujian
Spring Rolls
Chinese spring rolls (chun juan) — thin, wheat-flour wrappers filled with a seasoned mixture of pork, cabbage, and glass noodles, deep-fried until the wrapper is paper-thin, shatteringly crisp, and pale golden. The wrapper should be almost translucent, delicate enough to shatter at a bite. The filling should be dry, not wet — a moist filling steams the wrapper from within, preventing the crisp that is the dish.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
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8
rice paper wrappers
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
100 g
cooked shrimp
halved lengthwise
Your own market
80 g
rice vermicelli
cooked and cooled
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 g
fresh mint leaves
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 g
fresh cilantro leaves
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
40 g
roasted peanuts
crushed
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
4 leaves
butter lettuce
halved
Your own market
II
The Method
1
Soak rice paper wrappers in warm water for 30 seconds until pliable; lay flat on damp cloth.
2
Layer lettuce, vermicelli, mint, cilantro, and 2 shrimp halves on lower third of each wrapper.
3
Fold sides inward, then roll tightly away from you until sealed.
4
Arrange on serving platter and garnish with crushed peanuts.
5
Serve immediately with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce (equal parts hoisin and water, with 2 tbsp peanut butter whisked in).
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where spring rolls live or die is the rolling seal — the flap of the wrapper must be sealed firmly with the flour-water paste. An unsealed spring roll opens in the oil and the filling disperses. Test each spring roll by pressing the sealed edge firmly with your finger after rolling — it should feel tight and secure.
Pillars V — VII
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