These naturally vegan spring rolls pack a ton of flavour in a crispy, light wrapper. What’s not to love? This recipe was inspired by Edna, who always made the best homemade spring rolls.Adapted from The Woks of Life
Take the spring roll wrappers out of the freezer and place on the counter before you start prepping the vegetables or thaw overnight in the fridge (best results).
Prep the Filling
Begin by removing the stems from the shiitake mushrooms before soaking them in hot water for at least 1 hour. Place the caps facing downwards like an umbrella to help them rehydrate. Give them a stir halfway through.
Just prior to preparing the filling, soak the mung bean noodles in warm water for 10 minutes until they are rehydrated. Drain and cut the noodles into small 1/2 inch pieces using scissors.
At this time, prepare all the add ins to stir fry. Mince the mushrooms and garlic and set aside. Shred the carrots and bell pepper, set aside. Shred both cabbages and set aside. Whisk together the shaoxing wine, sugar, salt, sesame oil and white pepper and set aside beside the mung bean noodles.
Cook the Filling
Prepare the filling by heating a large wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to the wok and promptly add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 15 seconds and then add the carrot and bell pepper. Cook for another 15 seconds.
Turn the heat up to high and add the cabbages. Toss well and cook for 1 minute. Add the noodles, shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, sesame oil, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Add the scallions, toss, then set the filling aside on a large baking sheet with a cooling rack beneath it so it can get airflow and cool. Stir once or twice to speed up the process. This will take about 30 minutes.
Wrap the Spring Rolls
When ready to prepare the spring rolls, place a wrapper on a clean work surface (keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel) with your cornstarch slurry ready beside you.
Add 25g of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the corner closest to you over the filling and tuck and pull it towards you to form the roll. Fold the two sides over the roll like an envelope, making sure it is in a straight line with how you will be rolling the spring roll. Using the cornstarch slurry, wet the envelope sides and then roll the spring roll away from you for one or two folds.
Now wet the top corner of the envelope and continue rolling the spring roll tightly away from you until it is a nice little roll. Place it seam side down on a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap or another baking sheet.
Fry the Spring Rolls
Once all of the spring rolls are ready, heat a large heavy bottom pot or skillet over medium-high heat with at least 1 inch of oil at the bottom. Do not fill over halfway up the sides of the pot. Once the oil reaches 375 – 400°F, add about 10 spring rolls to the pot one at a time, careful not to initially overcrowd or add them too quickly. This can be dangerous and lead to overflow from bubbling.
Cook until they turn a light golden brown (5 minutes), then set aside to drain and cool. Repeat with the remaining rolls.
Freeze and Reheat
To freeze the extra rolls once they’re cooked, place them on a large baking tray in a single layer and freeze them before separating and storing in an airtight container or freezer bag. Reheat in an air fryer for 8-10 minutes at 350°F or in the oven at 375°F for 15 – 20 minutes, do not thaw first.
Notes
Food Processor: This is the one time I really recommend using a food processor rather than chopping by hand. Not only is there a lot of it, but it’s difficult to thinly slice.Nutrition Assumption: With frying, it’s difficult to be sure how much oil is absorbed per spring roll. Temperature, duration, and oil to surface area ratio can all impact absorption. I have assumed 1 cup of oil is absorbed into 50 spring rolls – about 1 tsp per spring roll.Baked, not Fried: You can brush the spring roll with oil and bake initially but they taste SO much better when fried. The texture and flavour cannot be replicated with baking.Nutrition Per Spring Roll : Calories 91 kcal | Carbohydrates 10.1 g | Protein 0.9 g | Fat 5.3 g | Sodium 104.7 mg | Potassium 63.5 mg | Fiber 0.7 g | VitaminA 27 μg | Vitamin K 18.1 mg | Calcium: 9.2 mg | Iron: 0.1 mg