Vietnamese spring rolls

Apr 11 2022

Stuffed with prawns, crabmeat and scallops, these crispy spring rolls come with a hot and savoury sauce for dipping

Ingredients

165
g raw king prawns, shelled, de-veined, patted dry and coarsely chopped
150
g tin frozen or fresh crabmeat, as much moisture squeezed out as possible
80
g scallops, patted dry and roughly chopped (optional)
125
g parsnips, cut into thin matchsticks
120
g carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
75
g bean sprouts
25
g glass noodles, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, drained and trimmed to 3cm
½
tbsp maple syrup
½
tsp mushroom or chicken seasoning
2
spring onions, thinly sliced
2
cloves garlic, finely chopped
(about 22cm) 12 sheets spring roll rice paper
1
litre sunflower or vegetable oil
1
lettuce, leaves separated
coriander, Vietnamese coriander, mint and perilla
2
bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped
2
cloves garlic, crushed
3
tbsp caster sugar
3
tbsp white wine vinegar
4
tbsp fish sauce

Step 1
To make the dipping sauce, mix together all of the ingredients with 80ml of water.
Step 2
Combine all of the filling ingredients, except for the rice paper and oil, with a pinch of ground black pepper and a couple of pinches of sea salt in large bowl.
Step 3
Prepare a tray of warm water and dip a piece of rice paper in it for a second to moisten, then put it on a clean chopping board. Spoon 2 tbsp of the filling into the middle at the bottom. Wait a minute for the paper to soften. Fold in the two sides, then fold up the bottom flap. Using your fingers to secure the roll, push forward and tuck in as you roll towards the top of the paper, making sure it’s tight. Repeat with the remaining rice paper and filling.
Step 4
Put a pan or wok of oil over a medium-high heat until it reaches about 160C or until a cube of bread browns in 45 seconds. Deep-fry the rolls for 4-5 minutes, in batches if necessary, until golden brown, leaving space between the rolls so they don’t stick together. Serve with the lettuce, herbs (wrapped around the spring roll) and dipping sauce.