Spring Rolls
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
300g white cabbage, finely shredded
200g pork or chicken mince
1 carrot, peeled and grated
150ml peanut or vegetable oil
100g fresh bean sprouts or tinned bamboo shoots or soaked rice vermicelli noodle
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons soy
2 tablespoons cornflour or arrowroot mixed into the soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
20 spring roll wrappers
2 litres vegetable oil for frying
1. Soak mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain, squeeze and slice thinly.
2. Cover the shredded cabbage boiling water from the kettle and let stand for two minutes then drain, cool and squeeze dry.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or pan over a high heat. Add pork or chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add cabbage and carrot to meat and then soy sauce and cornflour mixture. Mix well.
4. Remove from heat; add sesame oil and leave to cool.
5. To Roll: Place a spring roll wrap on a flat surface in front of you in a diamond shape. Have a small amount of water and flour in a bowl mixed to a paste – this will be used to seal the roll.
6. Place a heaped tablespoon of the cooled cooked mixture in the centre of the wrap. Fold from the bottom first and then from the sides. Roll half way up, add the flour and water paste and continue rolling. Repeat.
7. Heat oil to 180°C or 350°F. Cook spring rolls for about 3-4 minutes, turning often to ensure even cooking. Remove and drain well, serve hot with a dipping sauce.
Notes:
# For a vegetarian option add more carrot, cabbage and grated choko.
# It is important not to overfill the spring rolls as they can easily explode when being fried.
# Spring roll wraps are readily available in the freezer section of the supermarket and all Asian grocers.