Name: Chiang Mai Mississaugas Thai Shrimp Rolls Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 lb black tiger shrimp (raw, peeled, deveined, tails removed); 3 cloves garlic cloves (minced); 1 each shallot (finely minced); 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped, stems included); 2 each green onion (thinly sliced); 1 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 tsp fish sauce; 0.5 tsp granulated sugar; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp neutral oil (for sautéing); 12 each Thai pastry wrappers (spring roll wrappers or rice paper, 3.5–4 inch squares); 1 each egg (for egg wash, beaten); 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish); 0.25 cup thinly sliced Thai basil or mint (optional); 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 3 tbsp hot water (to dissolve tamarind); 2 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar); 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1 cloves garlic (minced); 1 each thai bird's eye chili (finely chopped) or red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp water (to adjust consistency)

Method

Shrimp filling

Prepare shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and coarsely chop into small (roughly 1/4–1/2 in) pieces. Do not purée — you want a slightly chunky texture for the rolls.

Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and minced shallot and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add chopped shrimp to the skillet and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool 2–3 minutes.

Transfer shrimp to a bowl. Stir in chopped cilantro, sliced green onion, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning — the mixture should be bright and slightly salty. Let sit while you prepare wrappers so flavors meld.

Pastry & assembly

Prepare workstation: place wrappers on a clean surface, have a small bowl of water (for rice paper) or a damp cloth (for spring roll wrappers) and a small bowl with beaten egg for egg wash. Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C) or medium-high — enough to come 1–1.5 inches up the side.

Assemble rolls: for each wrapper, place about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the shrimp filling near one edge of the wrapper, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with a few cilantro leaves and a little Thai basil or mint, if using.

Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold in the two sides snugly, then roll tightly toward the top edge to form a neat cylinder. Brush the top edge with beaten egg to seal. Repeat until all filling is used (should make about 10–12 small rolls).

Frying: carefully place 3–4 rolls at a time into the hot oil seam-side down. Fry 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Do not overcrowd. Transfer to paper towels to drain and keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven if making a batch.

Alternative: for a lighter version, bake at 425°F (220°C) on a parchment-lined sheet, lightly brush rolls with oil, and bake 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.

Tamarind dipping sauce

Dissolve tamarind: in a small bowl, stir tamarind paste into 3 tablespoons hot water until smooth and no large lumps remain.

Combine sauce: add palm sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and chopped chili. Stir until sugar dissolves. If the sauce is too thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons additional water to reach a dipping consistency.

Taste and adjust: sauce should be balanced sweet, sour, salty and slightly spicy. Add more sugar to sweeten, lime or vinegar to brighten, or soy sauce for salt. Let sit 5–10 minutes for flavors to meld before serving.

To serve

Plate rolls on a platter with tamarind dipping sauce in a small bowl. Garnish with extra cilantro leaves and serve immediately while rolls are hot and crisp.