Harumaki(2) Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Shred or finely slice the green cabbage into thin strips to measure roughly 2 cups packed. Peel and julienne the carrot to yield about 1 cup. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and slice thinly. Rinse and drain bean sprouts; roughly chop scallions into thin rounds.

Stir-fry aromatics

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When shimmering, add the minced garlic and minced ginger and stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Cook mushrooms and vegetables

Add the sliced mushrooms and stir-fry 1–2 minutes until they start to soften. Add the shredded cabbage and julienned carrot and toss for 2–3 minutes until the cabbage wilts. Add the bean sprouts and sliced scallions and cook 1 minute more. The vegetables should be cooked through but still have slight crunch.

Season filling

Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Stir quickly to combine and cook another 30–60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning (add a pinch more salt or soy sauce if needed). Remove the pan from heat.

Drain and cool

Transfer the filling to a large bowl and spread it out to cool for 10 minutes. Press gently with a spatula or clean towel to squeeze out excess moisture — this keeps the wrappers from getting soggy. Set aside until near room temperature before wrapping.

Prepare sealing paste

Combine 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to make a slurry/sticky paste for sealing the wrappers. Stir until smooth.

Assemble harumaki

Work on a clean flat surface. Keep the stack of spring roll wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Place a wrapper diamond-shaped with one corner toward you. Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of cooling filling onto the lower third of the wrapper, forming a small log about 1 inch from the edges. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold both side corners in snugly. Brush the top corner edge lightly with the flour paste and roll tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. You should get about 10–12 rolls depending on filling amount.

Heat the oil

In a deep-sided pot or deep fryer, pour about 3–4 cups (enough to submerge the rolls) of neutral oil and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, heat oil over medium-high until a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 50–60 seconds.

Fry the rolls

Fry 3–4 harumaki at a time without overcrowding. Lower rolls into hot oil seam-side down and fry, turning gently, until uniformly golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Maintain oil temperature between 330–360°F (165–180°C) to ensure even cooking and prevent burning. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Repeat until all rolls are fried.

Serve

Let the harumaki rest 2 minutes to crisp up. Serve immediately while hot and crisp with your chosen dipping sauce.

Whisk together 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or sriracha until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance (add more sugar to soften acidity or more water to dilute). Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Serve in a small bowl alongside the harumaki.