Best Shanghai Spring Roll Skins Recipes

CHINESE SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix the pork with the marinade ingredients and set aside for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Cut all of the vegetables to approximately the same size. You want everything the same size so each ingredient blends together.
• Brown the pork over high heat in 2 tablespoons of oil, and add the garlic, mushrooms and carrots. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the bamboo shoots, napa cabbage, and Shaoxing wine. Continue stir-frying for a minute. Adjust the heat to simmer the mixture, as the napa cabbage will release a lot of moisture.
• Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and sugar. At this time, you have the option of adding 1/4 cup of the decanted water from soaking the dried mushrooms. It strengthens the mushroom flavor, so this is purely according to your personal preference. You may also have to simmer the filling longer to reduce the additional liquid.
• Continue simmering the filling for another 3 minutes--until the napa cabbage is completely wilted--and stir in the corn starch slurry to thicken. How much slurry you add depends upon the wetness of the filling (this varies if your cabbage had more moisture or if you did add the optional mushroom water), but there should be no standing liquid at all.
• Transfer the filling to a large shallow bowl, and let cool. Place into the refrigerator to cool further-at least one hour. It's best to start with a cold filling for easier wrapping. The key to wrapping spring rolls is making sure that they're tight, yet not overstuffed. It's best to use fresh spring roll wrappers if you can, as freezing the wrappers can result in the spring roll skin being a bit too damp.
• Place the wrapper on a flat surface so that a corner is facing toward you. Use about two spoonfuls of the mixture per spring roll, and spoon it about 2 inches from the corner that is closest to you. Roll it over once, and, like you're making a burrito, fold over both sides. Continue rolling it into a cigar shape. With your fingers, brush a bit of the cornstarch water onto the corner of the wrapper that is farthest from you to seal it.
• In case you're wondering, we did try egg wash instead of the cornstarch mixture to seal the spring roll but the egg wash "stains" the spring roll, so it's best to use the cornstarch mixture.
• Place each roll on a tray. This recipe makes about 18-20 spring rolls. You can also freeze these spring rolls on the tray overnight, and transfer them to a zip-lock bag when they are completely frozen for future use. We usually fry some fresh and freeze the rest, unless we are hosting a party, in which case, these go like hot cakes!
• To fry the spring rolls, fill a small pot (which requires less oil) with oil until it's 2 to 3 inches deep. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat until it reaches 325 degrees. Gently add the spring rolls one at a time, frying in small batches. Carefully roll them in the oil so they cook evenly until golden brown and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Prepare the dipping sauce by adding all ingredients to a small sauce pan. Mix and heat until just simmering and pour into a small bowl. Serve the spring rolls hot with the dipping sauce!

SHANGHAI SPRING ROLLS (OR EGG ROLLS)

Steps:

• Use the highest flame for the stir frying process.
• Stir fry pork in 2 T oil until no longer pink; add chicken& do the same thing.
• Follow with shrimp.
• Remove to a sieve.
• Add a little more oil to the wok if needed and stir fry the scallions for a few seconds, then add the mushrooms& cabbage; stir fry to wilt cabbage, 2- 3 minutes.
• Stir in sauce.
• When it boils, thicken it with the binder.
• Stir cooked meats back in, followed by sesame oil.
• Set aside to drain and cool.
• Assemble in skins using beaten egg to seal.
• Deep fry at about 325°F until half cooked.
• (Can be frozen at this point. Defrost before continuing).
• When ready to serve, deep fry at 375 until golden brown and crisp.
• Blot well on paper towels.

SHANGHAI PORK, BAMBOO, AND MUSHROOM SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• To make the filling, combine the sugar, the 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, and the soy sauce in a bowl. Add the pork and shrimp and stir to coat well. Set aside.
• Put the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch into a small bowl and dissolve it in 3 tablespoons of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. (Use water or stock if you mistakenly discarded the liquid.) Set aside.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove the garlic and ginger with a slotted spoon and discard. Add the pork and shrimp mixture, stirring constantly to separate the pork into shreds and shrimp into nuggets, and cook just through, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until the bean sprouts are soft and just cooked through. The mixture will be about half of the original volume. Return the pork and shrimp to the skillet and stir to combine. When heated through, about 45 seconds, lower the heat slightly. Give the cornstarch mixture a stir and pour over the filling mixture. Cook for about 30 seconds, to bind the mixture. Transfer to a platter and spread out. Set aside to cool completely before using. You should have about 3 cups. (The filling can be prepared 2 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated after cooling. Return to room temperature before wrapping.)
• Before assembling the spring rolls, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For each spring roll, place a skin, smooth side down, on your work surface. Place a generous 2 tablespoons of filling slightly below the center of the skin. Follow the directions on page 75 to create a cigar shape. Before folding in the sides, brush some beaten egg on all of the exposed edges to ensure a good seal. Set the finished rolls, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Keep them covered with a kitchen towel to prevent drying. (To freeze, put them on a baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart, and slide them into the freezer. After they have hardened, about 1 hour, transfer them to a zip-top bag and keep frozen. Fry them unthawed. They will take a little longer than 3 minutes but will be just fine.)
• Heat 1 inch of oil in a wok, saucepan, or deep skillet over medium-high heat to about 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. (If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, stick a dry bamboo chopstick into the oil; if bubbles rise immediately to the surface and encircle the chopstick, the oil is ready.) Slide in a few spring rolls and fry, turning as needed, for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and very crisp. Remove from the oil and drain. Return the oil to temperature, then repeat with the remaining rolls. After all the rolls are fried, you may refry them for 30 seconds in 350°F oil to quickly reheat. (Alternatively, keep the rolls in a warm oven during frying.)
• Serve the spring rolls hot, whole or halved diagonally, with the vinegar as a dipping sauce.

CHINESE SPRING ROLLS (SHANGHAI) DIM SUM

Steps:

• FOR THE FILLING: Heat peanut oil in wok or skillet and stir-fry celery, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, soy and sugar 2 minutes.
• Stir in crab and remove from heat.
• Pour off any juices and add sesame oil, green onion, cornstarch and egg slivers.
• Cool and place 3 tablespoons of mixture on edge of spring roll skin.
• Place a coriander sprig on top and fold skin over twice.
• Then fold in sides and roll like jelly roll.
• Deep-fry, seam side down, in hot oil until crisp and golden.
• Drain, cut into 1-inch slices and serve immediately with mustard, chili oil and soy.
• Yield: approximately 18 spring rolls.
• EGG SLIVERS: Divide this recipe in half using only 2 eggs. Combine eggs, water and salt.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add half the peanut oil and pour in half the egg mixture, tilting pan to coat surface.
• Cook until eggs are just set, moist but not runny.
• Bottom should be slightly golden.
• Turn out onto board and repeat with remaining oil and egg mixture.
• Let cool, roll and slice into slivers.
• SPRING ROLL SKINS: Sift flour and salt into mixing bowl.
• Add eggs and enough water to make a smooth, thin batter similar to crepe batter.
• Always beat batter in ONE DIRECTION to gain elasticity.
• Let stand 20 minutes.
• Lightly oil a 6-inch skillet or crepe pan and heat over low heat.
• Beat batter in same direction and pour 2 tablespoons into pan, tilting pan to cover entire surface with batter.
• Cook until set.
• Pancake should be sheer and pliable.
• When it shrinks away slightly from the edges, turn over and cook other side just to set.
• Remove to flat dish, cover with slightly dampened tea towel and repeat with remaining batter, oiling pan as necessary and being sure to stir in one direction each time.
• Yield: approximately 18 spring roll skins.
• Regional Cooking Of China.

WONTON, SIU MAI, AND CANTONESE SPRING ROLL SKINS

Steps:

• To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour and salt in the work bowl and pulse two or three times to blend. Combine the water and egg in a measuring cup and lightly beat. With the machine running, pour the liquid mixture through the feed tube in a thin, steady stream. After all the liquid has been added and the mixture looks crumbly, run the machine for another 20 to 30 seconds, until a large, medium-soft , slightly sticky ball forms (a few crumbly side bits are okay). If the dough doesn't come together, add water by the 1/2 teaspoon. If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl, add flour by the teaspoon to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, to make the dough by hand, combine the flour and salt in a bowl and then make a well in the center. Lightly beat together the water and egg and then pour into the well. Use a wooden spoon or fork to slowly and steadily stir, moving out from the center toward the rim, to work all the flour into the liquid. Keep stirring as a ragged, slightly sticky mass forms. Then use your fingers to gather and pat the dough together. Add water by the 1/2 teaspoon if the dough feels too stiff or a sprinkling of flour if it is too wet. Regardless of method, transfer the dough and all the bits to a work surface, gather into one ball, and then vigorously knead for about 2 minutes if you used a food processor, or 6 minutes if you made the dough by hand. Properly made dough should be just slightly tacky but not sticky. If the dough sticks to the work surface or your fingers, lightly dust the surface with flour and continue kneading. The finished dough should be fairly smooth and feel as firm as your fingertip. Press on processor dough with a finger, and it should spring back, with no indentation remaining. A faint indention remains on handmade dough, which is not as stiff as its machine-made counterpart. Put the finished dough in a small zip-top bag and expel excess air as you seal it. Set aside at room temperature to rest for at least 1 and up to 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated overnight. Return it to room temperature before moving on.)
• To roll out the dough, use a pasta machine. Remove the dough from the bag and cut into 3 equal pieces, replacing 2 of them in the bag and resealing to prevent drying. Flatten a piece of dough with your fingers or a rolling pin to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Use your fingers to dust and then smooth some cornstarch on both sides. Run the dough through the machine at the widest setting (notch 1). Fold the dough into thirds like a letter with one end toward the middle and the other end on top to cover. Press to flatten the dough again so it will easily go through the machine, add another light coating of cornstarch to both sides, and then run it through the machine with one of the unfolded sides entering the rollers first. Repeat the folding, flattening, smoothing, and rolling 3 to 5 times more, until the dough is smooth and elastic. After this initial workout, there's no need to fold the dough again. Set the machine to the next thinnest setting (notch 2). Lightly dust both sides of the dough with cornstarch and then run it through the rollers. Decrease the setting again to notch 3, and pass the dough through once more. Repeat this process 2 more times, reducing the width of the rollers each time and dusting the dough with cornstarch, until the dough is 1/3 2 inch thin. On an Atlas pasta machine, I pause after notch 4 to cut the sheet (now about 18 inches long) in half, lest it become too long and unwieldy. I'm satisfied after notch 5. You should be able to see the shadow of your fingers through the dough when held up in the light.
• The ideal width for the dough sheets is about 6 inches wide. Most home pasta machines yield narrower results so simply put the finished dough sheets on a cornstarch-dusted work surface, smooth the top with more cornstarch, and then use a rolling pin to widen them. Do your best to come close to a 6-inch width. It is fine if the width is not optimal and edges are uneven. When the skins are made into dumplings, imperfections disappear. Put the finished dough sheets on a dry kitchen towel for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping it midway so it dries and firms up enough to easily cut. (If widening the sheets earlier proved difficult, try it after this resting period.) Repeat with the other dough pieces. Cover the finished sheets with a dry kitchen towel.
• To cut the dough sheets, smooth a thin layer of cornstarch over your work surface with your hand. Put the dough on the work surface and smooth a layer of cornstarch on top of it. For Cantonese spring rolls (also known as egg rolls), cut across the sheets at about 6-inch intervals to create large squares. For wontons, use a ruler and sharp knife to cut 3-inch squares. For siu mai, use a 3-inch-round cutter to stamp out as many wrappers as you can from the sheets, dipping the cutter in cornstarch as you work to prevent sticking. Stack the finished skins, wrap them loosely in parchment paper, and put them in an airtight zip-top plastic bag, squeezing out any excess air before you seal the bag. Lay the bag flat on a plate or in a plastic container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can freeze the wrappers, though they are best when fresh. These wrappers may turn grayish in the refrigerator, but their flavor and texture will remain excellent.