How to make Hanoi fried spring rolls

This recipe serves about 4 to 6 people, takes approximately 75 minutes to prepare, and provides around 2,615 calories in total.

Ingredients

- 600 grams of ground pork shoulder

- 200 grams of shrimp

- 5 grams of dried wood ear mushrooms

- 3 grams of dried shiitake mushrooms

- 1 handful of glass noodles

- 1 jicama (or bean sprouts, optional)

- 1 onion

- 1/2 kohlrabi

- 1/2 carrot

- 1 handful of scallions

- 1 bunch of coriander

- 1 - 2 eggs

- 2 - 3 shallots

- Spices: fish sauce, salt, stock powder, pepper

- Rice paper rolls for wrapping

- Beer

- Cooking oil

1. Preparation

a. Process ingredients

The spring roll filling includes a mix of ingredients, resulting in a combination of colors. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Cover the wood ear and shiitake mushrooms with warm water and allow them to soak for about 10-15 minutes or until they become soft.

- After soaking, wash the mushrooms thoroughly to remove any impurities.

- Drain excess water and finely chop the rehydrated mushrooms.

- Wash and peel the carrots, kohlrabi, jicama, and onions.

- Chop them into small pieces.

- Place the vermicelli in a bowl and cover them with water.

- Allow the vermicelli to soak until they become soft.

- Once softened, drain the water and cut the vermicelli into small pieces.

- Wash the coriander and scallions, then pat them dry.

- Finely chop both the coriander and scallions.

- Chop the shallots finely.

- Peel the fresh shrimp, removing the shells and tails.

- Dice the shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces.

b. Mix the filling

A thick mixture of ground pork and veggies. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Place the meat in a pot or bowl.

- Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1 teaspoon of stock powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, and 2 teaspoons of pepper.

- Mix the ingredients well, ensure an even distribution of seasonings.

- After seasoning the meat, incorporate the vegetable mixture into the pot or bowl.

- Incorporate cooking oil into the filling to prevent it from drying out. Consider various methods for achieving crispiness, such as adding beer or lemon juice to the mixture.

- When gearing up to wrap the spring rolls, introduce eggs into the mixture. This addition helps prevent the filling from becoming excessively watery.

- If a more vibrant color is desired, mix a small amount of sugar with the ingredients for a beautiful hue upon frying.

c. Wrapping spring rolls

Including the shrimp later during the wrapping process ensures that each bite delivers a better shrimp flavor. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Lay the rice paper rolls flat on a clean surface.

- Gently moisten the rice paper rolls with a beer-soaked towel, ensuring an even spread until the rice paper becomes soft. Beer enhances the crispiness of rice paper when frying by introducing carbonation and alcohol content, which contribute to a lighter texture and faster evaporation.

- Place an additional half-sheet of rice paper to reinforce the wrapping and prevent the filling from breaking during frying.

- Spoon a moderate amount of the prepared filling onto the softened rice paper.

- Introduce 2-3 pieces of diced shrimp into the filling.

- Wrap the rice paper evenly around the filling, ensuring a snug yet gentle encasement. Keep in mind to accommodate for the expansion of the cooked filling. Avoid wrapping them too tightly to prevent breakage during frying.

2. Cooking the process

The spring rolls, with a gentle fry, display a faint, light yellow. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

To achieve optimal crispiness, plan for a two-step frying process.

- Heat up cooking oil until it's hot.

- Fry the spring rolls over low-medium heat.

- Keep an eye on the spring rolls; once they are firm and about 70-80% cooked, it's time to take it out.

- Allow the spring rolls to cool on absorbent paper.

- Divide the cooled spring rolls into batches, considering portions equivalent to each meal.

- Freeze the divided batches, ensuring they are well-protected for future use.

- Before enjoying, give the spring rolls a second round of frying until they achieve a golden and crispy texture.

Fry the spring rolls with a moderate amount of oil to achieve a crispy texture. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Take the spring rolls out of the pan and place them on absorbent paper to soak up excess oil.

3. Final product

- The end result should feature a beautiful, crispy yellow skin for the spring rolls.

- The filling should not be dry but rather soft and sweet, with a blend of meat, shrimp, and vegetables.

The second round of frying will give the spring rolls a golden brown hue. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy