Often on a Monday I am racking my brains as to what recipes to teach my students in my online cooking classes I run on Zoom. Sometimes the students make a request of a dish they would like me to teach them, other times the idea for the recipes start from what ingredients I have in my fridge.  I had some bean sprouts left and  some cabbage so why not make Spring Rolls?  Making your own gives you a much better tasting and crisp spring roll (not greasy) with no chemical additives.  Plus, the ones you don’t cook are easy to freeze and have are on hand next time you are entertaining.

Spring Rolls (mix makes 16 x 10 inch spring rolls )

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

10 grams garlic finely chopped or minced

13 grams of ginger finely chopped or grated

500 g minced turkey or chicken or pork)

*8 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in boiling water OR 8 fresh

150 grams carrot cut into a julienne

110 grams bean sprouts washed and drained

100 grams cabbage Sweetheart or Pak choy sliced very finely

1 tsp corn flour / cornstarch

1 .5 tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

1 heaped teaspoon five spice

25 g Spring onions diced

15 grams fresh coriander chopped

1 pack Spring Home Tyj Spring Roll Pastry (30 wraps)

2 tsp corn flour (for sealing rolls)

1 tbsp water (for sealing rolls)

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the wok on a high heat and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant, stirring so it does not burn. Then add the turkey mince and stir well to break up into small pieces and add the five spice.
2. Cook on a high heat until it begins to brown lightly then add the carrot julienne and shitake mushrooms (save the liquid). Turn the heat down to medium and continue to stir.
3. Mix 1 teaspoon corn flour with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and the 1.5 Tbsp Oyster sauce. Stir this mixture into the turkey mix and turn the heat to low.
4. Now add the bean sprouts, chopped coriander and spring onions. Stir for 1 minute, then transfer from the wok to a clean container to help cool the mix down.
5. Taste the mix to see if it is seasoned enough, then begin to make your spring rolls.
6. Open packet of wraps carefully so you can reseal the pack if you wish.
7. Make a clean tea towel wet and then wring out as much of the water you can. This tea towel is to keep the spring wraps from drying out.
8. Carefully take one wrap from the stack and put the stack back in the fridge.
9. Place the spring roll wrap on a clean flat surface with corner pointed towards you.
10. Place 2 heaped dessert spoons of mix on the spring roll wrap and gently roll into a cylinder – stop when you get to the middle of the wrap. Fold both sides into the middle keeping the lines straight. Brush the end of the spring roll wrap with the corn flour water mix, and then complete rolling it up.
11. Place the completed spring roll on a lightly oiled baking tray and the repeat until you have used all of the mix. This should make 16 spring rolls.
12. Refrigerate the spring rolls until you are ready to fry them.

 Dipping Sauces 

Now make your dipping sauces, or you can buy them if you wish.  I have used a store bought sweet chili dipping sauce and I also made a Chinese plum sauce.

Chinese Plum Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

400 grams Plums  pitted and chopped

2 Tbsp Water

75 grams Onion finely diced

100 ml Rice wine Vinegar

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Honey

4 Tbsp Hoisin sauce

20 grams fresh ginger grated

12 grams garlic

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

¼ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon Sichuan Peppercorns

*Water from Shitake mushrooms (optional)

Method

1. Place the plums into a heavy bottomed saucepan with 2 Tbsp water and cook on a medium heat with the lid on, checking from time to time.
2. When the plums are soft add all the other ingredients and cook without the lid on for a further 20 minutes, stirring from time to time.
3. Turn off the heat and season with pinch of sea salt.
4. Puree until fine in a food processor then press through a fine sieve to remove the peppercorns and fennel seeds. Store in the fridge in a sterilized glass jar.

Cooking the Spring rolls

1. Pour enough oil in a wok so the oil is  2.5 -3 inches deep.
2. Heat the oil until it is 180 C (356 F) on a medium high heat.
3. Carefully place spring rolls in the oil about 4 at a time and cook, turning occasionally, until deep golden – around 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain well.
4. Keep the first batch warm in the oven as you cook more.
5.  Serve while hot with your sauces!

Baking option:

1. Brush generously with vegetable oil all over.
2. Place spring rolls on a wire rack and place the rack on a baking tray.
3. Bake in a preheated at 180C/350F (fan assisted)oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and crispy – no need to turn. Drain on paper towels.

Chefs Notes:
*Shitake Mushrooms: Soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 15 minutes or until rehydrated. Drain well but save the water as it can used in the plum *sauce.  Dried Shitake mushrooms are available at Asian grocery stores and in some supermarkets. The mushroom flavour is more intense in dried shitake so it brings a great savouriness (“umami”) to anything it is added to.  If you make this with fresh shitake mushrooms remove the stalk as they are woody and slice finely. Add them before the carrot to give them a head start on the cooking to ensure all the moisture from the mushrooms cooks out. 
Rice Paper Wraps: If you are looking for a gluten free wrapper for your Spring rolls then you can use Blue Dragon Spring Roll Wrappers that are made from rice and tapioca flour.

Beans Sprouts: Did you know that bean sprouts keep much better if you store them in your fridge in a bowl of cold water?  They stay white and crisper for longer, just be sure to drain and wash them well in more clean water before using them.

Turkey Spring Rolls with Dipping Sauces © Kevin Ashton 20