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Ingredients
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Vegetable Filling
Wrappers & Assembly
For Frying
Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
Method
Vegetable Filling
- 1
Prepare vegetables
Thinly shred or finely chop the cabbage so it wilts quickly. Julienne the carrot, thinly slice mushrooms, mince the garlic and ginger, and thinly slice green onions.
- 2
Sauté filling
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add carrots and cabbage and stir-fry 3–4 minutes until cabbage begins to wilt but still has a bit of bite. Add bean sprouts and green onions and cook 1 minute.
- 3
Season filling
Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature (about 10–15 minutes). Excess moisture can cause soggy rolls — if filling seems very wet, spread it on a tray to cool and blot with a paper towel.
Wrappers & Assembly
- 4
Make sealing paste
In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon flour with 3 teaspoons water to form a thin paste (or use plain water). This will be used to seal the wrappers.
- 5
Assemble rolls
Place a spring roll wrapper on a clean work surface in a diamond orientation (one corner toward you). Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled vegetable filling across the lower third of the wrapper, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the edges. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tuck in both left and right edges snugly, then roll tightly toward the top corner. Brush the top corner's edge with the flour paste or water and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. You should get about 12 rolls depending on filling amounts.
For Frying
- 6
Heat oil
Pour 3–4 cups neutral oil into a deep skillet or pot — enough to submerge the rolls about two-thirds — and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of wrapper: it should sizzle and become golden in ~30–40 seconds.
- 7
Fry rolls
Working in batches (do not overcrowd), carefully lower 3–4 rolls into the hot oil. Fry 2.5–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden-brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the rolls and drain on a paper towel–lined tray. Keep finished rolls warm on a rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven if frying in multiple batches.
- 8
Safety & tips
Maintain oil temperature between 325–350°F — too low makes greasy rolls, too high burns the wrapper. If rolls puff unusually, reduce heat slightly. Let oil cool completely before disposing.
Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
- 9
Prepare sauce
If using store-bought sweet chili sauce, stir in 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon lime juice to brighten the flavor and add 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes if you want more heat. If making quick homemade: combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional), 1 tablespoon sambal or chili flakes, 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water; simmer until thickened then cool.
- 10