Mama Ly's Spring Rolls
Vietnamese Style with Rice Paper, made with Caribou, Pork and Prawns
I found a package of 3-year-old caribou; believe it or not, most of it was still ruby red. Cherishing the last parcel of meat from my first hunt, I was determined to give it the highest level of respect and make something quintessential Vietnamese.
This spring roll recipe and almost all others on Chasing Food Club, share a similar theme, they all encourage you to use up what's in your fridge, experiment and cook from the heart. The filling and size of each roll are all about personal preference. This method inherited from my mother will act as a guide so that you can create your own family recipe.
Each region in Vietnam has a slightly different filling. For example, in the south, where my mother is from, fresh prawns and taro are common ingredients. While in the north, you'll always see recipes with a few squirts of fish sauce. My mom frowns upon this, and her reasoning is, "it just doesn't taste good with fish sauce."
This recipe features equal parts veggie and meat. The variety of proteins included ground caribou, ground pork belly, and hand-minced tiger prawns. The combination of veggies consists of dried wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and taro.
HOT HOT TIPS! Avoid bursting spring rolls and explosive oil splatter.
The wrapper choice is what sets Vietnamese spring rolls from the Chinese Egg Roll or Filipino Lumpia. Using rice paper instead of an egg wrapper creates a lighter, crispier layer.
Most Vietnamese families and restaurants have embraced the egg roll wrapper because rice paper tends to tear easily, splatter in hot oil, and burst open. But I promise you with the few tips shared below. You're golden, like the spring rolls you'll soon produce.
Choosing Rice Paper
Look for rice paper made with a mixture of starches. These tend to be more durable. For example, I kind I used had rice, tapioca, salt, and water in the ingredient list.
Size (really) doesn’t matter, they generally come in small, medium or large; use what you like. Medium, which is around 8 inches in diameter produces the typical size you see in a restaurant.
Rolling Station Prep
Before rolling, set up your rolling station with 2 large plates, a bowl of sugary warm water, a tablespoon to measure out filling, and a towel to clean your hands.
The sugar in the water helps brown the rice paper. The wrapper will remain white if you skip the sugar, even after frying intensely. In regards to the sugar to water ratio put in about a tablespoon of sugar, stir until dissolved and taste; it should be only slightly sweet.
Rolling
Dip the sheet of rice paper into the water quickly and shake off the access. The paper will still be very stiff but will soften by the time you shape your filling. Some brands take longer than others to soften, be patient! It will crack while rolling if it’s still rigid.
To speed up the process, have 2 plates, each with a sheet of rice paper rehydrating. By the time you get to the second sheet, it would have eased up and be ready to roll.
Do not try to get them perfect, some are tight, some are loose, it all ends up working out in the end once you drop them into the fryer. To make them appear more even, I find when you’re folding the east and west ends together make sure they touch. If they don’t, the rolls will have a dark stripe after they’re fried. You can see this in some of the images in this recipe post.
Place your rolls onto a baking sheet lined with waxed baking paper, do not let them touch; things get sticky real quick.
Before frying, let the fresh spring rolls sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. This will help the outer layer dry up and prevent major oil splatter and filling from bursting out.
Double Frying 101
Always use the double fry method! First-round is at 345 F for 6 minutes. The Second round of frying happens right before you’re about to eat, at a higher temp of 365 F for 4 minutes.
You can bake them in the oven after the first fry and/or have been frozen. Get your oven hot at 400F and let them go until they are hot in the center, for about 12 minutes.
The unique trait about these rolls is that no matter how you try. They will not look uniform; each will be unique.
Freezing Rice Paper Rolls
Spring rolls store great in the freezer but only do so after you’ve done the first round of frying. If you freeze them raw, they will burst open when you try to fry them again. Also, the wrapper texture is denser.
Mama Ly's Spring Rolls
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix ground meat, shrimp, shallots, garlic, white pepper, salt, chicken stock powder, and sugar in a large bowl until sticky paste forms.
- In the same bowl, add green onion, taro, carrot, wood ear mushroom, mung bean noodles, and raw egg and mix until all ingredients are combined. Let the filling rest for 15 minutes. (If you are making nuoc cham, dipping sauce now would be a good time to get started on it.)
- After rest time, take a tablespoon of filling, and fry it up in a pan with a little oil to test for salt levels. You want it well seasoned because the rice paper and herbs you serve it with are plain! Add more salt to the filling if needed.
- Prep rolling station with a large bowl of warm water, a large plate the size of rice paper, and a large baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
- Quickly dip one rice paper at a time into the water, shake off excess water, and place it on the large plate. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the bottom-middle-half of the rice paper. Shape the filling into a thin horizontal log.
- Fold the bottom over the filling and roll it over once. Then fold the left side over, then the right side over. You want the left and right sides of the rice paper touching. Lastly, roll forward. Not too tightly because the filing will expand once fried. Place the spring roll on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling is done.
- For cooking, use the double fry method. Get a high-temperature cooking oil hot in a large dutch pot, and maintain a temp of 335 F. Add a few spring rolls at a time, and fry for 5 to 6 minutes. If they stick leave together leave them alone until they are ready to remove from the heat, they will break apart easily once crispy. Use tongs to shake off the access oil, and let them cool on a rack.
- When ready to serve, fry them up again for 3 minutes at 355 F. Use tongs to shake off the access oil and cool on a rack for a few minutes. You can also bake them in a single layer in a 400 F oven. Serve right away with fresh herbs and nuoc cham.
Happy Cooking!
Jenny
