How to Make Chinese Crispy Spring Rolls

I love Chinese spring rolls; I always have them to accompany any Chinese takeaway that I have.

I have perfected this recipe over the years to replicate the ones that I get from my local takeaway.

I buy the spring roll sheets pre- made because it’s less trouble and they are just as good, but if you want to make them yourself follow this link Spring Roll Sheets. 

So here we go, for 10 spring rolls you will need:-

120 gm - Fresh Bean Sprouts

1 – Medium Carrot

50 gm - Sliced Bamboo Shoots

50 gm – White Mushrooms

3 – Spring Onions (thinly shredded)

A little Seasoned Oil

½ tsp - Salt

½ tsp - Soft Brown Sugar

25 ml - Light Soy Sauce

25 ml - Chinese Rice Wine

10 – Spring Roll Sheets

Plain Flour Paste

Veg oil for deep frying

Cut the vegetables into fine shreds, about the same size as the bean sprouts, heat the oil and stir fry them for a minute or so, then add the salt, wine, soy sauce and sugar, then stir fry for another minute.

Drain off the excess fluid and leave to cool for about half an hour.

To make the spring rolls put about two tbsp of the cooled vegetables in the centre of one of the sheets, then follow the next series of pictures.

Use the plain flour paste to stick the final flap.

You can now keep them in the fridge for 2 -3 days until you are ready to deep fry them.

Or you can freeze them.

To deep fry them heat the oil in a wok to 180 degrees C, then turn down a little and deep fry the rolls for about three minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.

Great to accompany a meal, or on there own with various dips.

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How to Make Chinese Spring Roll Sheets

This is not for the faint hearted; I originally started to make my own sheets because I could not find any on sale in my town.

They are not easy to make, in fact they are up there with some of the most difficult things I have ever done in the kitchen. The fact that they are so delicate and fragile made it one of the most frustrating things that I have ever done; I have found a local supplier now so I buy them.

So if I haven’t put you off completely here we go:-

For 10 sheets You will need:-

75 gmStrong White Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

200 ml Water

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and mix together well. Add the water and mix into a smooth batter.

Put a good non stick frying pan on a medium heat, pour a tiny spot of oil into the pan and wipe it around the pan with a paper towel.

After a couple of minutes take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute, now pour a little of the batter into the pan, enough to make about a 4 cm circle and swirl the pan around to get it near the edges.

Turn the heat down to a low, put the pan back on the heat, take a pastry brush and start to spread the mixture almost like you are painting the bottom of the pan. If it gets too hot take it off the heat and carry on, when you have spread it nice and evenly leave it on the low heat until it has become dry on the top.

Now carefully peal it from the pan, turn it over and cook the other side for about 20 seconds then take it out, place it on a plate and cover with a damp cloth to keep it moist while you while you make the others.

 

Now you are ready to make you’re Spring Rolls or you can freeze the sheets for another time.

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Roasted River Cobbler Wrapped in Pancetta with a Stilton and Watercress Sauce

I’m going to serve up this lovely spring dish with asparagus and mash. You can use any white fish for this dish, but as I have had a love affair with River Cobbler for the past few years, that’s what I am going to use.

I have chosen this particular sauce because the wonderful flavour of the stilton combined with the freshness of the watercress goes so well with the delicate flavour of white fish.

For two people you will need:-

2 – Fillets of River Cobbler (or white fish of your choice)

8 – Rashers of Pancetta (or streaky bacon)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

A Little Olive Oil

For the Sauce

100 gm Stilton

40 gm Finely Chopped Watercress

150 ml Cream (you can use crème fraiche or even milk if you prefer)

Use 4 rashers of pancetta for each fillet, put one at a time on a board and flatten it with the edge of a knife to make it wider and thinner. Then overlap 4 rashers and place your fish in the middle and wrap the pancetta around it.

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees and place a frying pan on a medium heat with a little olive oil and fry the fish for about a minute. Transfer them to a baking tray without turning them over, add some freshly ground black pepper (you won’t need salt; you’ll get enough from the pancetta), place in the oven for 15 – 20minutes.

While your fish is in the oven put the cream in a pan on a medium heat,

when it begins to warm up crumble in the Stilton and stir as it melts. When it is smooth add the chopped watercress and stir it in.

I don’t add seasoning to this sauce because I find that the Stilton adds all the flavour that I need.

Keep stirring and reduce to the consistency of your liking, if it’s not thick enough then add more Stilton  but don’t forget about your fish in the oven.

This is Simple Food at its best!

  

 Enjoy 

Stir Fried King Prawns and Mushrooms in a Creamy Lemon and White Wine Sauce

This is a lovely dish, simple, fairly light and full of flavour. The creamy sauce infused with the spring onions with a light lemony flavour is a delight.

Here is what you will need:-

The Stir Fry

A little Olive Oil

200 gm - King Prawns (raw & prepared)

150 gm - Button Mushrooms (sliced)

150 gm - Samphire (washed & trimmed)

The Sauce

A little Olive Oil

6 - Spring Onions

½ - Lemon

1 - Dessert sp Plain Flour

50 mm - White wine

150 ml - Cream

Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 - Vegetable Stock Cube

It’s best to make the sauce first so that it can be gently bubbling away while you cook the prawns, mushrooms and samphire.

Put a little olive oil in a pan on a medium to low heat, Chop the spring onions and add them to the pan

 after two or three minutes add the plain flour and mix to a paste.

Then add the white wine, when it begins to bubble mix it into a paste again.

Then add the cream and mix well, add the salt and pepper and lemon juice.

It will be quite thick by now so add a little water to get it to the consistency of your liking mix well, and then sprinkle in the stock cube stir well as it heats up again.

Keep tasting as you go you may want to add more of certain things to get it to your liking; you will be surprised at the kick the spring onions will give.

While that’s gently simmering Heat a little oil in a wok and stir fry the pawns, when they start changing pink put in the sliced mushrooms.

Stir fry for about four minutes then add the Samphire and stir fry for another three minutes or so.

If you are not familiar with samphire it’s  a lovely crisp salty coastal plant great for using in stir fries, just wash it trim it off and pat it dry.

Go back to your sauce and make any adjustments that you need to, and you are ready to plate up.

I had mine with baby new potatoes, but rice or mash is a good accompaniment

The Artist Tony Rose

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