Chinese Spring Rolls (春卷), Deep-Fried or Air-Fried
A tried and tested recipe for Chinese spring rolls. You don’t need to precook the filling. Two frying methods are provided.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 15 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 15 large flour-based spring roll wrappers (25×25cm (10×10 inches), see note 1)
- 200 g minced pork (or chicken/beef) (7oz)
- 120 g shrimp, shelled and cubed (4oz)
- 120 g carrot, grated (about 2 cups)
- 130 g bean sprouts (about 2 cups)
- 100 g Chinese chives, cut into sections (or finely shredded cabbage) (about 2 cups)
- 6 shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced (rehydrate beforehand if using dried ones))
- 2 stalks scallions, finely chopped
- 100 g dried mung bean vermicelli, rehydrated and cut into sections ( about 2 cups after soaking)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce (see note 2 for substitutes)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- Cooking oil for deep frying or air-frying (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoon white rice vinegar (or fresh lemon/lime juice)
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Fresh chili pepper, finely chopped (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Ready-made spring roll wrappers usually come frozen. Defrost in the fridge the night before.
- 2
Put all the ingredients for the filling into a large mixing bowl (NB: leave out one egg yolk for brushing the wrappers).
- 3
Add all the seasonings. Mix until well combined (It’s best to do so with your hands. Wear kitchen gloves if available).
- 4
Gently separate the spring roll wrappers one by one. Remember to always cover them with a clean damp cloth as they dry out easily.
- 5
Place one wrapper on a flat surface with one of the four corners facing towards you. Put about 3 tbsp of the filling above the closest corner (Use a spoon to help shape it into a rectangle).
- 6
Lift the closest corner to wrap the filling then roll it to the half-line of the wrapper. Try to wrap it as tight as possible without leaving any air pockets inside. But be gentle during this process to avoid tearing.
- 7
Lightly press two ends of the filling then fold the left and right corners of the wrapper towards the middle.
- 8
Roll the cylinder until only a triangle is left at the top. Brush a layer of egg yolk over the triangle. Roll again to seal completely. Repeat to assemble all the rolls.
- 9
Heat the oil for deep frying until it reaches 180°C/350°F. Gently slide in the rolls one by one (Do not overcrowd. Fry them in batches if necessary).
- 10
Fry over medium heat. Flip over a few times to ensure even browning. When they become golden, transfer out to a tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- 11
Preheat the air fryer at 200°C/390°F for 3 minutes. While waiting, brush a layer of oil all around the spring rolls.
- 12
Put the rolls over the crisper tray of the air fryer in a single layer. Leave to cook for 8-10 minutes. Then flip over and cook for a further 5 minutes until they become golden.
- 13
Serve warm on their own or with the dipping sauce.
- 14
To reheat leftover spring rolls, put them in a preheated oven at 200°C/390°F for about 10 minutes, or in an air-fryer at 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes or so.
- 15
You may store uncooked spring rolls, right after they’re assembled, in the freezer for up to three months (Keep them in an air-tight bag/container).
- 16
Cook as usual without defrosting. If deep frying, raise the temperature to 190°C/375°F. If air-frying, prolong the cooking time by 3-5 minutes.