Next on Auntie’s lesson plan was her delicious recipe for an irresistible vegetable spring roll! Like all the recipes we were taught on this day, the quantities are enough to feed a whole hostel of hungry volunteers! So I would half all of the below.
Ingredients
For the filling
- Half a white cabbage
- 2 or 3 green pepper
- 2 large carrots
- 1 table spoon of soy sauce
- 2 table spoons of red chilli paste
- 1 table spoon of green chilli sauce
- 2 teaspoons of vinegar
- 5 tablespoons of ketchup
- 1 table spoon of salt
- Half teaspoon of Ajinomoto seasoning
For the roll
- 1kg of white flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 pints of water
- 1 tablespoon of cornflour
For the cook
- Lots and lots of vegetable oil!
They see me rollin’…
1. Finely slice the cabbage…
2. And the green pepper…
3. And peel, chop and finely slice the carrots
4. In a large wok, put about 3 table spoons of vegetable oil on a medium to high heat
5. Add the vegetables you just prepared and stir-fry briskly for about 2 or 3 minutes
6. Reduce the heat slightly, then add your soy sauce, red chilli paste, green chilli sauce, vinegar, ketchup, salt and Ajinomoto, stirring after each ingredient had been added.
7. After a further 3 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and set to one side to cool.
8. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, cornflour and eggs, and about half your water. Whisk to a fine batter. You may or may not need to use all your water, use your own judgement. You’re seeking the consistency of pancake batter.
9. Place a large frying on a high heat with just a minimal amount of oil- just under a teaspoon. Spread the oil around the pan, then ladle on a scoop of the batter, just enough to thinly cover the base of the frying pan.
10. Flip!
11. Place your cooked pancake to one side, and continue until you have a little stack. Ensure you leave some batter over, as you will need it momentarily!
12. Place on pancake out flat. Take a handful of your prepared vegetable mix, and place it in the middle of the pancake, about two thirds of the way down.
13. Rub batter along the edge of the bottom half of the circle. Fold in the sides and then the bottom, and tightly roll it all upwards similar to a burrito, but leaving a flap at the top.
14. Rub batter on the exposed flap, then continue rolling.
15. Repeat this process until you have a nice, tidy collection of uncooked spring rolls!
FINALLY WE COOK!
16. Fill a large saucepan or wok just below halfway with vegetable and place on a medium to high heat. Give about 5 minutes to reach temperature.
17. Place your springrolls in the oil, about 3 or 4 at one time and cook for 5 minutes
18. Admire
19. Serve and Enjoy
Mmmmmmmmmm…