Today is my final day of asian inspired plant based canapé for the run up to Christmas. Vegetable spring rolls are often seen at parties and you can buy them in bulk from oriental supermarkets and many supermarkets party party selection. If you are serving vegan guests make sure that you check the packaging as they may sometimes contain egg. To make them stand out from the crowd, serve with a homemade dipping sauce and cut them with a pair of scissors on the diagonal. If you do want to have a go at making them yourself then follow the recipe below.
Serves: 6 as a starter or 30 pieces
5 a day: 1 per 2 rolls
Time: 45 minutes + half an hour soaking
Ingredients
Spring rolls
- 100g wood ear mushrooms
- 100g glass noodles
- 200g cabbage finely shredded
- 200g carrots grated
- 100g daikon/radish finally shredded
- 100g spring onion finely shredded
- 100g greed peppers finely shredded
- 100g mung bean sprouts
- 100g water chestnuts drained and finely shredded
- 1 inch grated ginger
- 1 birds eye chilli finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tbs sesame oil
- 2 tbsp light soy
- 1 tsp five spice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Wrapping
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbs water
- 30 small spring-roll wrappers or rice wrappers
- Oil for deep frying
Dipping Sauce:
- 1 tbs light soy sauce
- 1 tbs lime juice
- 2 tps sugar
- 2 tbs water
- 1 birds eye chilli finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
Method
Make the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients and stirring until the sugar is dissolved and refrigerate until needed.
Soak the mushrooms in boiling water for half and hour and then drain and finely chop.
Soak the noodles in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then drain. Allow to cool and roughly chop.
Combine all of the spring roll ingredients. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required.
Combine the cornflour and water to make a fine paste.
To wrap the rolls place a line of filling towards the bottom of your first wrapper. Brush the cornflour mix around the edges. Fold the left and right edge over the filling. Brush with a little more cornflour. Fold the bottom edge over the filling making sure you expel any air and then roll away from you until your roll is complete.
Place each completed roll under some slightly dampened tea towel until ready to serve.
Heat the oil to 160C. If you place a wooden chopstick in the oil it will bubble slightly.
Place your first roll carefully in the oil and fry for 5-6 minutes to test. If you are happy with it then continue to cook the remainder in small batches.
If you don’t wish to serve immediately you can cool and refrigerate covered and then reheat in an oven at 180C for 12 minutes.
Serve with dipping sauce