Chuen Juen (Spring Rolls)

 

                These delicious rolls are popular throughout China and may be served as a main course or appetizer. They may be served with a variety of dippling sauces, such as soy, plum or chili. You can buy spring roll wrappers in any Asian supermarket, often in the frozen food section.

Serves 6

• 6 dried chinese mushrooms
• 15 ml peanut oil
• 250 gr ground pork
• 185 gr shredde Chinese cabbage
• 100 gr bamboo shoots
• 60 gr water chestnuts
• 100 gr bean sprouts
• 5 ml sugar
• 5 ml dark soy sauce
• 5 ml Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 10 ml cornstarch (cornflour)
• 18 small spring roll wrappers
• 1 egg, beaten
• Oil, for deep-frying

1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to stand for 20 minutes ; squeeze excess water from the mushrooms and chop them finely.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a wok, add the pork and stir-fry until it has changed color, about 5 minutes ; add the mushrooms, cabbage, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bean sprouts and sugar and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
3. Combine the soy sauce, rice wine and cornstarch and stir this into the pork and vegetables ; stir until the filling has thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. To make the spring rolls, place one wrapper on a board with a corner facing you ; place one heaped tablespoon of the cooled filling about one-third up from the corner.
5. Fold the corner up and over the filling and fold in the sides ; brush the top corner with a little beaten egg and roll up to form a neat parcel ; brush the edges with the beaten egg to seal.
6. Deep-fry the spring rolls until crisp and golden brown and drain on paper towels.
7. Serve them with bowls of sauce of your choice for dippling.

BON APPÉTIT