About the Recipe
I used to love deep fried spring rolls but others in my family weren't so keen on them - deep frying isn't the most healthy way of preparing food and deep fried srping rolls do tend to go. little limp the next day. So, I devised a healthier way of making them and here it is, my oven baked spring roll recipe. They're healthier and every bit as tasty as the traditional version - what could be better?
Ingredients
10 frozen spring roll sheets (215mm /8.5in squares)
30g / 1oz dry bean vermicelli noodles
1/2 large/medium onion
2 shiitake mushrooms (either fresh or dried)
60g / 2oz carrot
1 slice of ginger
60g / 2oz tinned bamboo shoots (rinsed)
1 tsp potato flour
2 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g /5 oz minced pork
some salt & black pepper
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp Chinese shaoxing wine
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1.5 tbsp water
1 baking tray & a large square of cooking foil
some vegetable oil for brushing
Preparation
bring a small pan of water to the boil. add the dry bean vermicelli and turn off the heat. leave the noodles to soften for 3 - 4 minutes
meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and shiitake mushrooms
peel and slice the carrot diagonally, then cut it into thin matchsticks.
peel, slice and mince the ginger
when the 3 - 4 minutes time is up, drain the noodles in a sieve. shorten them by cutting them a few times with some scissors
cut the bamboo shoots into matchsticks
combine the potato flour and 1 tbsp ofwater. mix well and set aside
heat 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a hot pan. add the minced pork and fry for about 2 minutes
add all the vegetables and sprinkle over some salt black pepper. stir fry for 1 - 2 minutes
turn the heat off and add the soy sauce, Chinese shaoxing wine, oyster sauce and sugar to the frying pan. turn the heat back and stir fry for another 1 - 2 minutes
add the cooked vermicelli and mix everything together well
add the potato flour and water mixture (this will act as a thickener) and stir fry for 30 seconds, mixing well
turn out the cooked vegetables, noodles and pork into a bowl to cool a little before you wrap
next, prepare a little "glue" by combining the plain flour and 1.5 tbsp of water
now to wrap the spring rolls:
place 1 spring roll sheet on a large plate or chopping board with one corner at the bottom
place 1 / 1.5 tbsp of the filling on the wrapper towards the bottom of the wrapper
roll the corner of the wrapper over the filling toward the centre. next, fold over the right and left coners to meet in the centre. then, roll up the wrapper. brush the top corner with the a little of the "glue". roll again and seal
repeat for the rest of the spring rolls
heat your oven to 200C / 400F
cover your baking tray with a sheet of cooking foil and brush with vegetable oil. place the spring rolls on the tray, then brush each one with a little more oil. make sure you turn the spring rolls over and them on the reverse side
when the oven is ready, bake the spring rolls for 20 minutes or until lightly browned
serve your oven baked spring rolls as they are or with some soy sauce or a dipping sauce