Shanghai-Style Spring Rolls
User Reviews
5
Shanghai-Style Spring Rolls
Description
The recipe begins by marinating shredded lean pork with sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper to infuse flavor. Separately, Napa cabbage and rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms are cooked with neutral oil, seasoning, and Shaoxing wine until cabbage wilts. A cornstarch slurry is added to thicken the mixture, which is finished with sesame oil and cooled before filling the rice paper wrappers.
Wrapping the spring rolls requires placing a corner toward you and using moderate filling to ensure tight rolls without overstuffing, which is key to preventing sogginess during frying. The rolls are fried immediately until crisp, or can be frozen and fried from frozen later, preserving texture and convenience.
This recipe makes about 24 authentic Shanghai-style spring rolls that serve well as appetizers or party snacks. The combination of pork and mushroom filling creates a savory, umami-rich bite complemented by the lightly seasoned cabbage. Fresh oil and proper frying temperature help achieve the right crispy outside.
Ingredients
FOR THE PORK AND MARINADE:
- 2/3 cup pork lean, finely shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
TO ASSEMBLE THE FILLING:
- 1 Napa cabbage finely shredded, about 9 cups, small
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms (Soak them for a couple hours in water until they’re soft and thinly slice. Fresh mushrooms don’t have as much flavor as dried.)
- 4 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- salt (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with one tablespoon of water)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 package spring roll wrapper this recipe will make about 24 spring rolls
- neutral cooking oil for frying, generic cooking oil
Instructions
- Mix the pork with the marinade ingredients and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Shred the cabbage and slice your mushrooms.
- Over medium heat, add 4 tablespoons of oil to your wok. Brown the pork. Then add the mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the napa cabbage and stir well. Season with salt, white pepper, shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. Stir everything together, cover the lid and let it cook over high heat for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the cabbage is wilted.
- Uncover the lid and add the cornstarch slurry. Stir. The mixture will start to thicken. You don’t want there to be extra liquid in the mixture, so add more of the cornstarch/water mixture if need be. Lastly, add sesame oil and stir everything thoroughly. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
- The key to wrapping spring rolls is making sure that they’re really tight and not overstuffed. Place the wrapper in front of you so that a corner is facing toward you. Use about one and a half tablespoons of the mixture per spring roll, spoon it about an inch and a half from the corner closest to you. Roll it over once, and like you’re making a burrito, fold over both sides. Continue rolling it into a cigar shape. With your fingers, brush a bit of water to the closing corner of the wrap to seal it. Place each roll on a tray seam-side down. This recipe makes about 25 spring rolls (you can also prepare them ahead of time and freeze them).
- To fry the spring rolls, use a small pot or shallow pan (which requires less oil) and fill it with oil until it’s about 1-inch deep, just enough to submerge the spring rolls when frying. Heat oil slowly over medium heat. To tell if the oil is ready, I just dip a bamboo chopstick into the hot oil, and if some bubbles form around the chopstick, then the oil is ready. Slowly add the spring rolls one at a time, and fry them in small batches. Cook each side until golden brown and drain on a paper towel. We like to serve them with some Chinese black vinegar for dipping!
Notes
- Fry spring rolls immediately after assembling to prevent wrappers from becoming soggy.
- For make-ahead convenience, freeze assembled rolls on a tray, then store in freezer bags; fry directly from frozen without thawing.
- Yield is about 24 rolls; note nutrition information is for one roll.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 128kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 9mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 195mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 121mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 80IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 6.6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 28mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.8mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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