Authentic Spring Rolls Recipe China, Asia
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Featured on each and every Chinese restaurant menu around the world, spring rolls are a versatile appetizer which should be brittle and crunchy on the outside, and tender and flavorful on the inside. They are a member of a large dim sum family, which includes small, bite-sized appetizers served in small baskets or plates, often with a dipping sauce. Generally, the filling for spring rolls is made with pork and/or seafood stir-fried with various vegetables, such as cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and spring onions. Typically, the filling is marinated in or seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and rice wine. When it comes to wrappers, they can be made from rice or wheat flour and water, while egg may or may not be added to the dough. The filling is rolled inside a wrapper which is then sealed with a mixture of cornstarch and water, whisked egg or egg white. Finally, spring rolls are fried in hot vegetable oil until they become golden ... Read more
Cooking tips
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meat
When it comes to non-vegetarian versions of spring rolls, pork is the most common meat choice. Lean parts, such as shoulder or tenderloin, are usually minced or cut into small pieces before being stir-fried or cooked with the other ingredients. Usually, the meat is marinated in a soy sauce-based marinade which can also contain sugar, pepper, rice wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil and thickening ingredients ... Read more -
seafood
Prawns, shrimp, and crab meat are the main seafood options for spring rolls. If used fresh, the prawns and shrimp should be shelled and deveined. Since seafood is more delicate than pork, it is marinated slightly shorter. Many spring roll varieties suggest mixing pork and seafood for the filling; in that case, make sure you cut both in equal-sized pieces and don’t overcook them. -
cabbage
Chinese or napa cabbage is one of the most common ingredients for the spring roll filling. The leaves are usually cut into fine shreds and stir-fried over high heat, so they wilt slightly, but remain crunchy. The Shanghai version of spring rolls is prepared differently — the cabbage is braised in water with pork until they form a thick purée. -
vegetables
There is a whole array of vegetables which can be used for filling the spring rolls, and among the most common are carrots, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and mushrooms — shiitake or mook yee (cloud ear fungus). The vegetables should be cut into uniform pieces. Canned or reconstituted vegetables, such as bamboo shoots and mushrooms, should be drained or squeezed thoroughly before being ... Read more -
seasonings
Typically, the filling for spring rolls can be seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic or garlic powder, chives, spring onions and five spice — a spice mixture common in Chinese cuisine which includes star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds. -
wrappers
Although it is quite common to make spring rolls with store-bought wrappers from either rice or wheat flour, they can easily be made from scratch. The flour is mixed with water and sometimes egg and kneaded into an elastic dough. The dough is then left to rest, rolled into paper-thin sheets and cut into small squares, roughly 4x4-inch large. It is advisable to keep the wrappers under a wet cloth during ... Read more -
assembling
Place a spring roll wrapper on a working surface, so the corner points towards you. Place two spoonfuls of filling onto the lower half. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, tucking gently, and roll the wrapper halfway. Then, fold the side flaps towards the center and brush the edges with a beaten egg, egg white, or starch solution. Finish rolling and press gently to seal. -
frying
Spring rolls are fried in a wok or a deep frying pan on hot vegetable oil preheated to 180 ˚C (350˚ F). The general rule is to fry them in small batches, so they don’t stick. To make them extra crispy, you can use the same technique as for pommes frites. Fry them for a few minutes until pale golden on medium hot oil, then drain them on a paper towel, and fry again shortly in hot oil. -
serving
Spring rolls are usually served with Chinese vinegar, chili sauce, sweet chili, even Worcestershire sauce.
Recipe variations
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Traditional Spring Rolls
Ready in 1h 5minThis recipe shows how to make a classic and simple version of spring rolls. The dough is made from scratch and is egg-based, while the filling is completely vegetarian but still packed with flavor. It is adapted from travelchinaguide.com, the website of the leading and largest tour operator in China that offers information on all things Chinese and is praised by leading media outlets like The New York Times, USA Today, and National Geographic.
-
Pork and Prawn Spring Rolls
Ready in 4h 35minAdapted from the Classic Chinese Cookbook by Yan Kit So, this recipe shows how to make spring rolls with pre-made wrappers slightly larger than usual. The rich filling combines pork, seafood, and cellophane noodles, and you can substitute Shaohshing wine with medium-dry sherry.
-
Simple Pork and Cabbage Spring Rolls
Ready in 1h 5minA basic filling consisting of pork, carrots, and napa cabbage is the base of this spring rolls recipe. The pork can be replaced with chicken or mushrooms, and the spring rolls should be served warm. The filling is done in a flash, and the recipe instructs the use of store-bought wrappers, which is why these spring rolls are done in the blink of an eye.
-
Shanghai-Style Spring Rolls
Ready in 2h 50minThis recipe variety, adapted from Seriouseats.com, fills the spring rolls with a creamy filling made with napa cabbage and pork that have been braised down into a thick purée. This approach is characteristic of the city of Shanghai, and the spring rolls are served with vinegar or duck sauce.
-
Fresh Chinese Spring Rolls
Ready in 20minContrary to a popular belief, it is not mandatory to deep-fry the spring rolls. This recipe, adapted from fruitguys.com, shows how to make fresh spring rolls in dried rice wrappers. This recipe is suitable for vegans and vegetarians: the choice of vegetables includes regular, napa or Savoy green cabbage, carrot, mushrooms and mixed vegetables such as bean sprouts, snow peas, and sweet pepper.
Traditional Spring Rolls
PREP 50min
COOK 15min
READY IN 1h 5min
This recipe shows how to make a classic and simple version of spring rolls. The dough is made from scratch and is egg-based, while the filling is completely vegetarian but still packed with flavor. It is adapted from travelchinaguide.com, the website of the leading and largest tour operator in China that offers information on all things Chinese and is praised by leading media outlets like The New York Times, USA Today, and National Geographic.
Ingredients
Traditional Spring Rolls
FOR THE DOUGH
250g (2 cups + 2 tsp) flour
1 egg
water
FOR THE FILLING
2 mushrooms
100g (3.5 oz) carrot
300g (10.5 oz) celery
80g (2.8 oz) bean curd skin
ginger, to taste
5 garlic cloves
green onion
1 egg
2-3 tbsp cooking oil + 500 ml (2 cups) for frying
salt
pepper
Preparation
Traditional Spring Rolls
Start with making the wrapper dough. Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Add egg and some water, and mix with a pair of chopsticks. Add water gradually and knead into an elastic, smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, knead the dough, wrap it again, and let it rest for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Chop the mushrooms, carrot, celery, and bean curd skin into very fine pieces. Peel the ginger and grate it. Remove the husk from the garlic cloves and mince them. Place the vegetables in a large bowl, add sesame oil, and stir well. Chop the green onion finely and set aside. Break the egg into a small bowl, whisk and set aside.
Now, make the wrappers. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and knead it. Lightly flour the working surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until almost transparent. Cut the dough into 10x10cm (4x4-inch) squares.
Next, fry the filling. Heat 2 to 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a wok, add green onions and stir-fry for 5 to 10 seconds. Then, toss in the vegetable mix and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and set aside.
Now, assemble the spring rolls. Put some filling in the middle of each wrapper. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then repeat with the left and the right one. The spring roll should resemble an open envelope at this point. Roll the spring roll and seal the edges with the egg you have whisked previously. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Heat 500 ml (2 cups) of cooking oil in a large wok. Fry the spring rolls in small batches for approximately 2 minutes, until they turn golden. Drain on paper towels, let them cool slightly, and serve warm.
Other Variations
-
Pork and Prawn Spring Rolls
Ready in 4h 35minAdapted from the Classic Chinese Cookbook by Yan Kit So, this recipe shows how to make spring rolls with pre-made wrappers slightly larger than usual. The rich filling combines pork, seafood, and cellophane noodles, and you can substitute Shaohshing wine with medium-dry sherry.
-
Simple Pork and Cabbage Spring Rolls
Ready in 1h 5minA basic filling consisting of pork, carrots, and napa cabbage is the base of this spring rolls recipe. The pork can be replaced with chicken or mushrooms, and the spring rolls should be served warm. The filling is done in a flash, and the recipe instructs the use of store-bought wrappers, which is why these spring rolls are done in the blink of an eye.
-
Shanghai-Style Spring Rolls
Ready in 2h 50minThis recipe variety, adapted from Seriouseats.com, fills the spring rolls with a creamy filling made with napa cabbage and pork that have been braised down into a thick purée. This approach is characteristic of the city of Shanghai, and the spring rolls are served with vinegar or duck sauce.
-
Fresh Chinese Spring Rolls
Ready in 20minContrary to a popular belief, it is not mandatory to deep-fry the spring rolls. This recipe, adapted from fruitguys.com, shows how to make fresh spring rolls in dried rice wrappers. This recipe is suitable for vegans and vegetarians: the choice of vegetables includes regular, napa or Savoy green cabbage, carrot, mushrooms and mixed vegetables such as bean sprouts, snow peas, and sweet pepper.
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