Shanghai Spring Rolls Recipe |
Ingredients: Serves 4, Makes about 12 rolls |
Vegetable oil, for passing through and deep-frying 1 large egg 12 spring roll wrappers Chinese plum sauce or mango chutney sauce, optional Chinese mustard, optional Filling: 85g boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into thin 1-inch-long strips about ¼ inch wide ½ large egg white (beat a whole egg white until foamy and measure out half) 1 tablespoon cornstarch 4 cups chicken stock, canned chicken broth or water 450g fresh bean sprouts ¼ cup thinly sliced canned bamboo shoots (1 inch long) 4 Chinese dried black Shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, trimmed, and cut into thin 1½-inch-long strips ½ carrot, peeled and cut into thin 1-inch-long strips 1 teaspoon salt 85g medium shrimps, peeled, de-veined and finely chopped 1 bunch fresh chives, cut into 1½-inch-long lengths 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil pinch of ground white pepper |
Method: For the filling, mix the chicken, egg white, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Coat the chicken well, and set aside. Bring the stock to a boil in a large wok over high heat. Add the bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, carrot and salt. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the shrimps and chives and cook for 1 minute more. Drain in a colander. Transfer the mixture a clean cloth kitchen towel, and twist the cloth to squeeze out the excess moisture. Squeeze as hard as you can, as the mixture should be as dry as possible so that moisture will not seep into the wrapper and tear it. Transfer the mixture a medium bowl, and mix in the sesame oil and white pepper. Clean the wok. Heat the wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come 1 inch up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 150°C. Add the chicken and stir gently to keep the pieces from sticking together, until they turn white, about 45 seconds. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the chicken to the bamboo shoot mixture. Cover, and place the mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes to make it easier to handle. Discard the oil. (If you want to reuse the oil for deep-frying the spring rolls, carefully strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl to remove any bits of coating). Clean and dry the wok. In a small bowl, beat the egg until fluffy. On a cutting board, place a spring roll wrapper with a point facing you. Using a tablespoon, place a heaping spoonful of the chicken and bamboo shoot mixture on the bottom third of the wrapper, and spread it out horizontally so that the filling is 2½ inches wide. Roll the bottom point of the wrapper over the mixture, fold the sides in, brush some beaten egg over the top point of the wrapper, and finish rolling the wrapper from bottom to top. Place the roll on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers. (The shrimp rolls can be made up to 2 hours in advance, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated). Heat the wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 2 inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 180°C. Working in batches without crowding, deep-fry the spring rolls, turning them once, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide wire-mesh skimmer, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Cut each roll in half diagonally and serve immediately, with bowls of plum sauce and mustard on the side for dipping, if desired. |
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