Chinese Spring Rolls — Crispy Pork and Vegetable Rolls

Name: Chinese Spring Rolls — Crispy Pork and Vegetable Rolls
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 20 spring roll wrappers (thin, square); 200g ground pork; 200g napa cabbage, finely shredded; 1 carrot, julienned; 100g bean sprouts; 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and julienned; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp cornstarch; White pepper to taste; Oil for deep frying; Flour paste: 1 tbsp flour mixed with 1 tbsp water (for sealing)

Prep:45 min

Cook:45 min

Serves:2–4

Difficulty:Medium

Chinese spring rolls are one of the most universally loved Chinese appetisers — thin, crispy pastry rolls filled with a savoury mixture of pork, cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms. The key to a great spring roll is the filling: it must be well-seasoned, cooked, and cooled before wrapping (wet filling makes soggy rolls), and the wrappers must be rolled tightly with sealed edges to prevent bursting during frying.

Spring rolls (春卷, chūn juǎn) are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) to celebrate the arrival of spring. The name literally means 'spring roll' and they've been made in China for over a thousand years.

Ingredients

• 20 spring roll wrappers (thin, square)
• 200g ground pork
• 200g napa cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 100g bean sprouts
• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and julienned
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• White pepper to taste
• Oil for deep frying
• Flour paste: 1 tbsp flour mixed with 1 tbsp water (for sealing)

Instructions

1
Stir-fry pork until cooked through. Add mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for 3 minutes.
2
Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and white pepper. Cook until liquid evaporates. Cool completely.
3
Place a spring roll wrapper with one corner pointing towards you. Add 2 tbsp filling in a line across the lower third.
4
Fold the bottom corner over the filling. Fold in the two side corners tightly. Roll up firmly towards the top corner.
5
Seal the top corner with flour paste. Press to secure.
6
Heat oil to 170°C (340°F). Fry spring rolls in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Pro Tips

💡The filling must be completely cool and dry before wrapping — warm, wet filling creates steam that makes soggy spring rolls.
💡Roll tightly — loose rolls puff up with air pockets and may burst during frying.
💡Keep unused wrappers covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying and cracking.