Finely shred the cabbage and grate the carrot. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and thinly slice the scallions. Pat any very wet vegetables (like cabbage) in a towel to remove excess moisture — you want the filling moist but not soggy.

Cook protein

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon neutral oil (not included above). Add the ground pork (or chosen protein) and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 4–6 minutes. If using tofu, crumble and cook until lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes.

Sauté aromatics & vegetables

Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add shredded cabbage and grated carrot and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are softened but still have some texture.

Season & bind

Stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster (or hoisin) sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix the 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water to make a slurry, then add to the pan and stir for 30–60 seconds until mixture thickens slightly and binds. Remove from heat and fold in sliced scallions. Transfer filling to a bowl and let cool to room temperature so wrappers don’t become soggy.

Assembly

Set up an assembly station: a clean work surface, a small bowl with the flour-water sealing paste (mix 2 tsp flour with 1 tsp water to make a paste), a plate for assembled rolls, and the wrappers covered with a slightly damp towel to prevent drying.

Place one spring roll wrapper on the work surface with a corner pointing toward you (diamond orientation). Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of the wrapper, leaving a 1/2 inch border on each side.

Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, then fold both left and right corners in toward the center to enclose the filling. Roll the wrapper tightly away from you toward the top corner. Brush the top corner lightly with the flour paste and seal to form a neat roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. You should get about 12 rolls.

Frying & Serving

Heat oil

Pour about 1 cup of vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or small saucepan to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium heat until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or until a small piece of wrapper sizzles and browns in about 20–30 seconds.

Fry rolls

Working in batches, carefully add 3–4 spring rolls to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 2.5–4 minutes per batch. Use tongs to transfer cooked rolls to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. If you prefer a lighter option, brush rolls with oil and bake at 425°F (220°C) on a parchment-lined sheet 12–15 minutes, turning once, until crisp.

Make dipping sauce & serve

Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and optional 1 teaspoon chili flakes or sriracha until sugar dissolves. Serve spring rolls hot with the dipping sauce.