Crispy Fried Spring Rolls
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Asian-style pork and veggie spring rolls with shiitake mushrooms, rice vermicelli, and five-spice. Wrapped in square imperial roll pastry, deep-fried until golden crisp, served with a tangy chili-mint dipping sauce balanced by mirin and rice vinegar. The filling is savory, subtly sweet, and aromatic from Chinese five-spice and garlic. Makes about two dozen rolls, great as appetizer or party finger food. Adaptable with chicken or tofu. Shows skill in dough handling and frying safety. Highlights layering of textures and bold umami flavors achieved by slow sauté and marinade-like soak of mushrooms. A mid-heat fry seals sealed crispy envelope encasing tender, moist center.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
Servings:
24 rolls
#Asian fusion
#finger food
#party appetizer
#pork recipes
#fried snacks
Half a dozen test batches taught me not to rush the filling cook—vegetables sliced thin but not watery keeps rolling clean. The subtle sweet and spice coming from mirin and five-spice means don’t drown this with hot sauce unless you want to mask that depth. I swap fresh shiitake with dried rehydrated every time, the soaking liquid reserved for soup broth—no waste. Rice vermicelli adds a slippery, almost silky mouthfeel, balancing crunchy wrapper. Frying at right temp is game changer too; too hot tends to blacken edges but leave insides raw, too cool makes limp oily mess. Patience, good oil temp, sharp knife for veggies and firm wrapping brings texture contrast that makes this addictive. The sauce takes mere minutes then chills, cutting fatty pork with herbal bite. A throwback to my dumpling days but crispier. Trial, error, more trial. Learned to trust the sizzle, smell, and subtle crackle cues in the hot oil.
Ingredients
- 14 g dried shiitake mushrooms, sliced, soaked 25 min in 240 ml hot water
- 450 g ground pork
- 30 ml peanut oil
- 170 g finely shredded green cabbage
- 2 carrots, grated
- 40 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml mirin
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ml Chinese five-spice powder
- 250 ml cooked rice vermicelli noodles
- 24 square imperial spring roll wrappers 15 cm
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Sauce
- 125 ml mirin
- 60 ml rice vinegar
- 25 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 15 ml chopped fresh mint
- 3 ml sambal oelek chili paste
About the ingredients
Dried shiitake mushrooms essential here. Rehydrating them slowly in hot water brings that earthy umami punch—don’t rush or soak cold—the texture risks going mushy. That soaking water, don’t toss; strained it can be used as background broth for soups or even for poaching mild proteins later. Pork ground to medium-fine is best—too coarse falls apart, too fine turns pasty. Peanut oil stands up to heat and imparts subtle nuttiness, but can substitute with canola or sunflower oil if allergies arise. For mirin, a Japanese sweet rice wine, dry sherry or a mix of sake and sugar can be options if unavailable. Five-spice pre-ground from Asian markets recommended; homemade blends vary and can throw off balance. The rice vermicelli is best cooked per package instructions but drained and cooled thoroughly to avoid hot clumps during mixing. Imperial spring roll wrappers are firm square sheets—thick enough to hold filling but thin enough to crisp. Keep wrapped in plastic to avoid drying. Eggs beaten thinly used as glue to keep sealing neat and tight—skip and rolls might fall apart mid-fry. Sauce ingredients mostly pantry staples; fresh mint a must for freshness but can substitute with Thai basil or cilantro in pinch. Sambal oelek provides gentle heat; adjust according to your heat tolerance, or swap with chili garlic sauce for punchier profile.
Method
Filling
- 1. Mushrooms: Soak shiitake in hot water until softened 25 min. Drain well, squeezing out excess water. Chop coarsely. Don’t skip squeezing to avoid watery filling that frustrates wrapping.
- 2. Heat wok on high, add peanut oil until shimmer. Add ground pork, breaking lumps, stirring till just browned and some pink gone, about 6–7 minutes. Sear adds savory crust; rushing undercooks meat inside.
- 3. Toss in cabbage and grated carrots. Sauté 8–10 minutes until veggies soften but keep slight crunch. Use spoon to stir, scraping bottom to pick up caramelized bits; that deepens flavor.
- 4. Stir in fish sauce, mirin, garlic, five-spice powder for 2-3 minutes. Aromas blossom here, garlic turning golden but no burn. Don’t overcook or garlic bitters surfaces.
- 5. Remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to nearly room temp before fridge—moisture controls rolling and best texture. Once cooled, fold in drained vermicelli and chopped shiitake. Adjust salt and pepper sparingly so flavors stay balanced. Reserve wrapped with cling wrap to avoid drying out.
Sauce
- 6. Whisk mirin, rice vinegar, fish sauce, lemon juice, mint, sambal. Chill until serving. Tastes bright sour-salty-spicy; fresh mint cuts richness; sambal adds gentle heat. Note: swap lemon with lime for sharper zing. Mint can be basil if missing. Sauce keeps in fridge up to 3 days.
Rolls
- 7. Heat deep fryer or large pot with vegetable oil to 180–190°C (350–375°F). Use candy or instant-read thermometer for precision or test with bread cube—should brown golden in 30 sec. Prep paper towels on tray ready to drain.
- 8. Place a wrapper square diagonally on clean surface. Quickly brush lightly the lower triangular section with beaten egg as glue. Spoon approx 50–60 ml filling horizontally about 4 cm from the bottom corner.
- 9. Fold side corners inward snugly against filling to trap contents. Roll bottom edge up over filling tightly like cylinder about 13 cm long. Seal edge with egg wash pressed firmly. Avoid soggy spots or breaks. Work fast before wrapper dries and cracks.
- 10. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Keep assembled rolls under damp towel or plastic wrapped to keep pliable before frying.
- 11. Fry in batches of 5–6, being careful not to overcrowd the pot to prevent temperature drops. Fry about 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally with slotted spoon to ensure even browning. Rolls are done when color changes to golden-brown and shells crisp up into bubbly texture with faint crackle when gently tapped.
- 12. Drain excess oil on paper towels immediately. Serve hot accompanied by chilled dipping sauce.
- Tips and Problems:
- - If rolls burst open while frying, likely wrapper had air trapped or filling too moist; squeeze out moisture well and wrap tight to prevent.
- - Floating rolls indicate oil temperature too low, causing sogginess. Heat oil properly or wait to reheat between batches.
- - For allergy alternative, use chicken mince or firm tofu instead of pork; swap fish sauce with soy sauce for vegan option but expect different depth.
- - Spritz rolls lightly with oil before frying for extra golden sheen; don’t skip draining or rolls get greasy.
- - Pre-soaked vermicelli noodles should be well drained to avoid loose filling which causes slipping wrappers.
- - The balanced five-spice is essential: too much overpowers natural pork savoriness; adjust according to spice strength.
- - Leftover filling freezes okay but wrap needs fresh handling.
- - If wrappers crack when rolling, humidify them by covering with damp cloth before starting to restore pliability quickly.
Cooking tips
Start by soaking shiitake mushrooms properly in nearly boiling water for 25 minutes. Adjust times by texture; too short means tough, too long loses integrity. Dry mushrooms well to prevent soggy filling that ruptures wrappers. Browning pork in a hot wok is step that builds umami—it’s not just cooking but flavor development via Maillard contact. Stir-frying veggies till tender yet with some bite maintains textural contrast inside rolls. The mixing in cold vermicelli noodles last prevents overcooking and mushiness. Salt and pepper lightly; remember fish sauce contributes saltiness. For wrapping, speed and gentle confidence avoid cracks; brush egg wash lightly on edges—the glue that keeps roll sealed. When frying, heat oil properly; test before dropping rolls. Use slotted spoon or bamboo skewer to turn gently—not stab, as that leaks filling. Fry in small batches to preserve oil temp; overcrowding drops heat leading to greasy rolls. Drain on paper towel immediately after removing from oil for crisp shell. Sauce requires no cooking—just whisk and chill. Can be made ahead and stored refrigerated. Use a candy or deep fry thermometer for best results; learning to judge by smell, crackle, and rising bubbles is a pro skill. Hoarding excess rolls in fridge overnight not ideal since wrappers soften; better to freeze assembled and fry frozen straightaway extending shelf life with slight longer frying time. Adjustment of fry times +/- 30 seconds depending on size and oil temperature. Watch visual cues—golden brown edges with bubbly blistered wrapper surface is done; underdone feels soft when pressed lightly but too long makes filling dry and wrappers brittle. Practice makes effortless rolling and frying.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Mushrooms soak in hot water—don’t rush or cold soak. Squeeze well or watery filling wrecks wrapper seal. Use soaking liquid strained for broth or poaching. Chop coarsely to keep chunks distinct. Key for texture layering.
- 💡 Heat oil till shimmer not smoke. Use candy thermometer or bread cube test—browns golden in 30 seconds. Overcrowd pot and temp drops, rolls turn greasy limp. Fry in small batches; rolling becomes easier when wrapper edges stay moist.
- 💡 Brush egg wash lightly but enough. Acts glue for sealing edges snug. Skip this step and rolls just fall apart during frying. Work quick or wrappers dry out and crack—pre-wrap leftovers in plastic or damp towel to keep pliable.
- 💡 Fold corner edges inward tight. Stuffing moisture controls softness but too wet breaks wrappers. If filling leaks, try squeeze harder or add extra vermicelli — it soaks excess juice. Be mindful of five-spice quantity, too much hides natural pork savoriness.
- 💡 Draining oil on paper towels immediate prevents soggy shells. Heat oil right again before next batch. Use slotted spoon carefully turn rolls, no stabbing. Listen for crackle sound as cue for doneness; shells crisp and bubbly indicate ready.
Common questions
How to avoid soggy rolls?
Hot oil crucial. Overcrowding cools down temp, rolls soak oil. Dry filling well; soaking mushrooms long but drain tight. Egg wash seals edges tight so no leaks. Pat dry vermicelli noodles or rolls slip apart internally.
Can I use chicken or tofu?
Definitely. Chicken mince swaps well, cook same just watch doneness timeline. Tofu firm pressed, crumble and season more to avoid blandness. Fish sauce replaced with soy sauce vegan style. Flavors slightly shifted but workable.
What causes rolls to burst open?
Air pockets trapped when folding. Don’t overfill or stuff loosely. Press filling down. Moisture too high causes wrapper to weaken. Squeeze mushrooms and vermicelli tightly so wrapper stays intact under frying pressure.
How to store and reheat leftovers?
Store in fridge wrapped tight max 3 days. Rolls soften if kept. Freeze assembled rolls on tray then shift to bag, fry from frozen adding extra frying time. Reheat in oven or air fryer if not frying fresh. Avoid microwave for crisp.
