Vegetable Spring Roll (3) Recipe

Make slurry

Mix the all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl until smooth to form a sealing slurry. Set aside.

Heat oil

Pour oil into a deep skillet or small pot to a depth of about 1.5 inches (enough to shallow-deep fry). Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of wrapper sizzles and browns in ~30 seconds.

Fry spring rolls: When rolls are prepared, fry 2–3 at a time (do not overcrowd) for 2.5–3.5 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack or plate lined with paper towel to drain.

Prepare vegetables

Shred the cabbage finely, julienne or grate the carrot, trim the bean sprouts, thinly slice mushrooms and green onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger so all vegetables are ready to go. Pat bean sprouts lightly to remove excess moisture.

Cook filling

Heat a nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon neutral oil (use a small splash of the frying oil reserved if desired). Add minced garlic and grated ginger and stir-fry for 10–15 seconds until aromatic. Add mushrooms and cook 1 minute. Add shredded cabbage and carrots and stir-fry 2 minutes until cabbage begins to soften. Add bean sprouts and green onion and continue stir-frying 30–45 seconds — vegetables should be tender-crisp. Remove from heat.

Season and bind

While hot, toss vegetables with soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, salt, and optional cornstarch. Mix thoroughly; if the filling seems too wet, let it cool slightly so moisture reduces. Taste and adjust seasoning (a pinch more salt or soy sauce if needed). Allow filling to cool to near room temperature (5–8 minutes) so wrappers don't become soggy.

Lay one spring roll wrapper on a clean flat surface with one corner pointing toward you (diamond shape). Place about 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled filling slightly below the center of the wrapper, forming a tight log roughly 3–4 inches long. Do not overfill; you should have enough filling for three rolls.

Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tuck tightly while rolling once toward the opposite corner. Fold both side corners in snugly over the roll, then continue rolling to the top corner. Brush the top corner edge with the flour slurry and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling (makes 3 rolls).

If not frying immediately, place assembled rolls seam-side down on a tray and refrigerate up to 1 hour; brushing with a little oil will help prevent drying.

Cut each spring roll in half on the diagonal if desired. Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce (sweet chili sauce, soy-vinegar dip, or hoisin).