Crispy Thai Spring Rolls Recipes

THAI SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine vegetables, blanch in salted water until done. To this mixture add basil, mint, cilantro, ginger, hot chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
• Place 1 tablespoon of mixture on egg roll skin, roll like a cigar. Fry in hot oil, until brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

THAI SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Soak the rice sticks in enough hot water to cover by 1 inch for 15 minutes.
• Bring 1/2 gallon of water to a boil in a large pot set over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Add the shrimp and cook until just firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the cooked shrimp to a cutting board and cool for 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel, devein, and coarsely chop. Set aside.
• Return the water-soy sauce to a boil. Drain the rice stick noodles and add to the hot soy-water. Cook until tender, approximately 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the lime juice, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, chili paste, and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl.
• Drain the noodles in a colander. Add the noodles to the lime juice mixture, toss, and set aside while preparing the vegetables.
• Toss the cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and mint together in a small bowl. Transfer any unabsorbed liquid from the noodles to the cucumber mixture and toss to combine.
• Cut the noodles into small 1 to 2-inch pieces with kitchen shears.
• Fill a pie dish with warm water. Dip 1 rice paper wrapper into the water for 10 seconds, then transfer to a cutting board until the wrapper is pliable and slightly tacky, approximately 1 minute.
• Place 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture on the bottom 1/3 of the wrapper nearest to you. Spoon 2 tablespoons chopped shrimp on top of the vegetables. Top with 1/4 cup noodles. Bring the bottom edge of the wrap tightly over the filling, and then fold in the 2 sides. Finish rolling from bottom to top until the entire wrapper is rolled. Be careful not to tear the rice paper. Place on a parchment-lined half sheet pan and cover with a damp tea towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers until the filling is gone. Wrap each roll in a lettuce leaf and serve with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce.
• Add all of the ingredients to a lidded jar and shake well to combine. Serve as a dipping sauce for spring rolls.

THAI CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup peanut sauce, ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in a bowl. Add the chicken and mix until the chicken is coated. Place in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Cook the snow peas, bean sprouts and green onion in the oil until heated but still crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the watercress and cilantro. Use a vegetable peeler to have long slices of carrot into the watercress mixture. Drizzle 1 teaspoon soy sauce into the watercress mixture; toss to coat.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil to the wok or skillet. Cook the marinated chicken until no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.
• Fill a large bowl with hot water. Dip wrappers one at a time into the water for about 2 seconds each. As wrappers are removed from the water, fill each with 2 large spoonfuls of the chicken and a small handful of the watercress mixture. Fold in two opposite ends of the wrapper to meet the filling. Then fold the bottom of the wrapper over the top of the filling and roll. Serve with 1/2 cup peanut sauce for dipping.

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.