Vegetable Spring Rolls
-makes about 40 spring rolls
I am not a fan of deep-fried food but absolutely cannot resist good, crispy-golden spring rolls. And by good I mean not just perfectly crispy pastry on the outside, but a filling so delicious that you won't need any dipping sauce to go with it. Even better, when they are all vegetarian :) Enjoy the recipe!

 Ingredients for Vegetable Spring Rolls

1 1⁄2 cups  dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for deep-frying 
4 cloves garlic, chopped 
2 carrots, julienned 
2⁄3 cup  bamboo shoots or jicama, sliced into matchsticks
1 teaspoon light brown sugar 
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce 
1 tablespoon rice vinegar ​ 
​1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup bean sprouts 
1 cup chinese chives or spring onion, cut into matchsticks
40 frozen spring roll wrappers, thawed
1 tablespoon egg white or water

Recipe
1. Rinse and soak dried shiitake mushrooms overnight in a few cups of water. Before using, cut off stems and discard. Squeeze water out of mushrooms and chop them roughly. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok, add garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add carrots, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and stir-fry for one more minute. 

3. Add sugar, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Add a good sprinkle of white pepper. Stir-fry for two more minutes. Add bean sprouts, and chives, stir well.
​
4. Place in a colander sitting in a bowl, drain and cool. To make a spring rolls, place thawed pastry on the counter, cover the rest of the pastry with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out. 

5. Place a tablespoon of  the vegetable mixture near one pointed corner of the wrapper about an inch away from the corner. 

6. Fold the corner over the filling and roll over once. Fold in the sides, then roll the wrapper all the way down to make a tight roll.

7. Brush the upper edge of the wrapper with egg white to paste in shut.

8. To deep-fry spring rolls, heat a few inches of oil in a wok or fryer to 375°F or 180°C until hot, then reduce heat to low-medium.

8. Fry the spring rolls in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until they are crispy golden all over, about 4-5 minutes. 

9. Remove rolls from oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with Thai sweet chili sauce.

​Note: You can also you leftover liquid from the filling as dipping sauce. Simply add some freshly chopped chili, and a teaspoon of rice vinegar. Stir well and serve.
For more delicious recipes, check out our upcoming hands-on cooking classes in Downtown Singapore.
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