Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls Food

FRESH SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Cook vermicelli noodles in boiling water, for just a few minutes, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Gather all topping ingredients together, including chopped veggies, herbs, cooked shrimp.
• Add about 1 inch of water to a large, deep dish, or pie pan. Place one rice wrapper into the water and let soak for just 10-15 seconds. It should still feel pretty firm as you remove it and lay it on your counter or plate.
• (It will soften up as you add the filling ingredients, but If you let it soak for too long it will get too soft and will tear when you roll it up.)
• Layer 1-2 slices of each veggie, a few shrimp, a few leaves of each herb and a pinch of noodles on the 1/3 of the spring roll that is closest to you.
• Fold the sides of the spring roll in over the ingredients. Then pull the side closest to you up and over the ingredients, sealing everything together tightly, and rolling it up like a burrito.

CRISPY RICE PAPER SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Wash, peel and shred carrots using a grater or cut them in julienne-style with a knife. Julienne means thin matchsticks, so cut them as thin as you can.
• Wash and cut spring onion and bell pepper in julienne-style with a knife.
• Take the outer leaves of the purple cabbage. Shred them using a grater with large holes or cut them into shreds with a knife.
• Wash bean sprouts if you bought them unwashed.
• Take a frying pan or a skillet and heat it over medium heat. Add sesame oil.
• Add all cut veggies (spring onion, carrot, bell pepper and purple cabbage). Stir and cook them for 1-2 minutes.
• Add bean sprouts and soy sauce. Stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• The filling is ready when the veggies have softened but they are still a bit crunchy. You don't want them too soft and mushy.
• Use a firm tofu and press it. We use our trusted TofuBud for it, but you can choose any DIY method or tofu press. Pet it dry with a paper towel.
• Use a grater with large holes and grate the firm tofu. (We used ⅓ of a tofu block to make 8 spring rolls.)
• Take a frying pan or a skillet and heat it over medium heat. Add sesame oil.
• Add shredded tofu and soy sauce. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add hoisin sauce. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the tofu gets dark brown.
• Gently submerge the rice paper. (See NOTES on how to know the duration.)
• Once submerged, transfer it to a dry and smooth surface.
• I place the filling in the middle around the lower third of the rice paper. If you have a standard size rice paper (approx. 20-22 cm /8-9 inches), you can fit 2-3 Tbsp of filling, which would make an approx. 10 cm (4-inch) long spring roll.
• First fold the sides gently but tight towards the middle.
• Take the bottom seam and fold it upwards gently, but tight.
• Use your fingers to tuck the filling tight within the rice paper before rolling it all the way up.
• Roll it all the way up, but use your fingers to keep the filling tucked tightly.
• Place your finished spring roll on a parchment paper with the closing seam on the bottom.
• Pre-heat the oven to 395 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Place the rolls on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Spray it with a bit of oil. Don't brush them as you might end up adding too much. Bake them for 10-15 minutes. The rice paper will not change color really, so don't wait for them to be golden brown. I usually flip them after 10 minutes to make sure that they are crispy all around.
• We recommend placing the finished spring rolls in the fridge to get rid of any moisture. Make sure they don't touch and cover them with a saran wrap. Deep fry in enough oil for a couple of minutes until crispy.
• Spray a bit of oil on the bottom of the air fryer. Air fry them for 380 Fahrenheit for approx 10 minutes. Definitely check at the 10 minute mark.

CHEF JOHN'S FRESH SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Soak a rice paper wrapper in cold water just until it becomes flexible, 1 minute or less. Place on a slightly damp towel. Place some baby greens near the bottom of the round. Top with strips of chicken and pepper, leaving about a 1-inch margin on the sides. Roll tightly just until the bottom edge meets the center of the paper and sticks there. Then continue to add more chicken strips and vegetable strips. Finish with torn pieces of herbs. Complete the roll, pressing the ingredients to keep roll tight and tucking in the sides.
• Transfer completed rolls to a plate lined with damp paper towels. Cover each roll with damp papers towels as you work to prevent them from drying out; don't let the rolls touch each other or they will stick together.

CRISPY SPRING ROLLS (CHA GIO)

Steps:

• Combine the bean thread noodles, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and green onions in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the fish sauce, garlic, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Add the chicken and pork and using a fork, break up the meat, so it is thoroughly mixed with the seasonings. Add the noodle mixture and mix well. Set aside.
• Combine the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat and stir often to prevent sticking. If mixture seems too thick, add more water. This will be the "glue" to seal the edges of the wrapper.
• Cut the wrappers in half diagonally. You will have two equal triangles. Starting with the longest side toward you, place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom area of the triangle. Using your fingers, mold the filling into a cylinder 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Fold the two pointed ends of the wrapper in and roll to enclose. Dab a little cornstarch mixture along the edges (do not use too much "glue") and seal the roll. Set aside while you finish making the remaining rolls. Do not stack them.
• To fry, preheat a large wok or fry pan. When hot, pour enough oil in to completely cover the spring rolls. Heat to about 325 degrees. Carefully place the rolls into the oil. Do not crowd the pan or place the rolls on top of each other. Fry the spring rolls until filling is cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, turning often until they are nicely brown and crisp. If they brown too quickly, reduce the heat as the oil is too hot. Remove the cooked spring rolls from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and table salad .
• To enjoy a spring roll the Vietnamese way, put it on a lettuce leaf, top with cucumber and mint, and wrap it up. Then dip in Vietnamese dipping sauce.