Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients

• 17.5 Spring roll sheets (Use 15–20 sheets; thawed)
• 1 cup Carrots (Thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cup Mushrooms (Finely chopped)
• 1 cup Green cabbage (Thinly sliced)
• 1 bunch Green onions (Chopped)
• 2 lb Boneless chicken thighs (Minced; optional)
• 1 tbsp Garlic (Freshly minced)
• Salt (To taste, for filling)
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce (For filling)
• 1 tbsp Black pepper (For filling)
• 1 tbsp Chicken powder (For filling)
• 2 tbsp Oil (For sautéing the chicken)
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch (For sealing rolls)
• 1 tbsp Water (For sealing slurry)
• Oil (For frying)
• 0.333 cup Water (For sweet and sour sauce)
• 1 tbsp Sambal oelek or chili sauce (For sweet and sour sauce)
• 3 tbsp Tomato ketchup (For sweet and sour sauce)
• 2 tbsp Brown sugar (For sweet and sour sauce)
• 2 tbsp Vinegar (For sweet and sour sauce)
• 2 tsp Soy sauce (For sweet and sour sauce)
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch (For thickening the sauce)
• 2 tbsp Water (To mix with cornstarch for the sauce slurry)
• Salt (To taste, for sauce)
• 0.5 tbsp Red chili flakes (For sweet and sour sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the minced garlic and optional minced chicken. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, until the chicken changes color.

3. 3

   Cover the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.

4. 4

   Add the carrots, green onions, mushrooms, and cabbage.

5. 5

   Season with salt, black pepper, chicken powder, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.

6. 6

   Cook for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted and no liquid remains. Allow the filling to cool.

7. 7

   In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a thick slurry for sealing the rolls.

8. 8

   Thaw and peel off one spring roll wrapper at a time. Keep the remaining wrappers covered under a damp tea towel.

9. 9

   Place a spoonful of cooled filling along the bottom of a wrapper.

10. 10

    Roll the wrapper halfway, fold the sides inward, and finish rolling it up.

11. 11

    Brush or apply the cornstarch slurry to seal the roll. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

12. 12

    Heat frying oil in a wok over medium-high heat.

13. 13

    When the oil is hot, carefully place the spring rolls into the oil. Fry for 1–2 minutes, or until crispy and golden.

14. 14

    Repeat with the remaining spring rolls. Alternatively, freeze the uncooked spring rolls in a zip-lock bag for later use.

15. 15

    For the sauce, add the water, ketchup, sambal oelek or chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and red chili flakes to a pan.

16. 16

    In a separate bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth.

17. 17

    Bring the sauce to a bubbling point, then add the cornstarch slurry. Cook until the sauce thickens, and adjust the spice level to taste.

18. 18

    Serve the spring rolls hot with the sweet and sour sauce.

Notes

The chicken is optional; omit it for vegetable spring rolls. The source does not specify the amount of frying oil or exact oil temperature. Keep wrappers covered with a damp tea towel so they do not dry out.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• snack
• spring rolls
• fried
• East Asian-inspired
• optional chicken
• make-ahead
• freezer-friendly