Spring rolls are popular as a takeaway, but as Geoff Jansz demonstrated, they’re also very easy to make in your own kitchen. In our segment Geoff admitted that he doesn’t know why they’re called spring rolls, although he knows how to cook them. Burke’s Backyard reporter Graeme Quirk explained that the name is a direct translation from the Mandarin term chun juan. In China, spring rolls (savoury fillings which are wrapped in a delicate pastry and then deep-fried) are traditionally eaten at the spring festival.
Ingredients
(Makes 4-6 medium to large rolls)
1 packet spring roll pastry
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
100g chicken breast, chopped finely
100g cooked prawns, chopped finely
1/2 cup each of celery, onions and mushrooms
1 cup cabbage, finely shredded
2 tablespoons peanut oil
chives, chopped
coriander, chopped
pepper and salt to taste
a few drops of sesame oil
3 egg yolks, beaten
extra peanut oil for frying
Method
1. If pastry wrappers are frozen, thaw and cover with a damp tea towel until needed.
2. Combine chicken, soy sauce, water and cornflour in a small bowl. Set aside to marinate.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a frypan over high heat then add the celery, onions, mushrooms and cabbage. Toss quickly.
4. Add the chicken and marinade, stirring for about 2 minutes till cooked through. Stir through the prawns, and then take the mixture off the heat and set aside to cool.
5. When cool, add the chives, coriander, salt and pepper to taste, and a few drops of sesame oil.
6. Place 1 wrapper on a board. Place 2-3 tablespoons of mixture towards the bottom corner. Roll it, fold it over then roll it up. Seal with beaten egg yolk. Place on a plate and cover with a damp tea towel while you prepare the other rolls. (Tip: do not start wrapping the mixture until it is cool, otherwise the pastry may crack.)
7. Take a tall pot that won’t boil over, and fill to about 1/3 full with extra peanut oil. Heat the oil ready for frying, but don’t let it get too hot. (Tip: dip the end of a wooden spoon into the oil to test if it is hot enough. If you see bubbles on the end of the spoon, the oil is ready.)
8. Gently lower the rolls into the oil a few at a time, and fry until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Drain on kitchen paper and serve with sauce.
Dipping sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
50ml soy sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cornflour
50ml extra water
1 clove garlic crushed with a little salt
1. Combine sugar, soy sauce and water. Bring to the boil.
2. Mix cornflour smoothly with water and add to the pan, stirring for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the crushed garlic, and cool before serving.