Egg Rolls and Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Anybody make them? I've got a bunch of wrappers and some gumption.

I think the usual fillings are cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot, scallion, and maybe celery or bok choy. The cold rolls often get shrimp, a sprig of mint, and a peanut dipping sauce; the hot rolls get a bit of ground pork, fried, and a tangy dipping sauce.

But quantities? Any par-cooking, marinating, or other interesting prep? How much can I skimp on oil before they won't fry properly? Do they keep?

Are Filipino lumpia any different?

Here is the recipe I posted on this site.

RCP: Filipino Lumpia
by Karen/NoCA » Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:58 pm

I make Filipino Lumpia.....same thing basically, just called different names in each area.
2 1/2 - 3 lbs. shredded chicken breast
3 T. oil
4 garlic cloves
1 large onion, chopped
16 oz. shredded carrots
1 bunch celery, chopped
1 head cabbage, shredded
1 bag bean sprouts-(I delete due to allergies and a dislike)
2 - 8 oz. pkgs. frozen French-cut green beans
1 can 8 oz. chopped water chestnuts
garlic powder, salt and soy sauce
Menlo brand Lumpia wrappers, or look for the ones that are separated

Sauté onion and garlic till soft. Add carrots, celery, cabbage, bean sprouts, and chicken. Mix well and cook for 20 minutes. Drain in colander. Use plate to press water out. Put on cookie sheet. Taste, add more garlic, salt, if necessary. Add a few splashes of low-sodium soy sauce. Add some fresh, grated ginger root. When cool, wrap into Lumpia wrappers. Freeze
When ready to eat, take frozen Lumpia and cook in oil until crispy and hot all the way through.
Dip into soy sauce with red pepper flakes added or Sweet and Sour Sauce or Sweet Chilie Sauce.

Karen, that looks excellent. Thank you for the ingredient ideas and the technique pointers -- press out the moisture!

[Jenise]

Wow that's a huge quantity. Must make like 12 dozen or something! (It can be scaled down, of course.)

Lumpia wrappers are thinner and have a heavenly crackle when bit into.

Egg rolls can be just about anything your heart desires, but at a minimum they're typically shredded pork, napa cabbage (called Chinese leaves in some of the Commonwealth countries), and shredded carrots. Other ingredients and seasoning will vary.

I love cold Vietnamese spring rolls. That sprig of mint you mention is also usually joined by cilantro and thai bail, and the lot is rolled in a soft lettuce leaf also containing glass noodles to fill in the corners. One of my original creations leaves out the shrimp and puts a thin slice or two of deli rare roast beef inside the lettuce leaf along with some blue cheese and the aforementioned herbs. The dip is a vinaigrette.

[Jenise]

Oops, wanted to add that making spring rolls takes some practice. How long to dip the rice sheet, how quick to assemble, and getting the roll tight enough so as not to have a baggy/lumpy result.

Yes, I can see how tight rolling is good for it. I have some practice from my college days. (Well, I can approximate. )

My current thinking is to use shrimp in some and duck confit in some. (Very easy to buy a couple legs and pull the meat off.) I like the roast beef and blue cheese idea!

What sort of wrappers are you using? There are three main kinds.

Egg roll wrappers are made of rolled out Chinese noodle dough. They are used for the abominations sold as egg rolls in Chinese-Amedrican restaurants.

Spring roll wrappers are made by wiping a thick batter across a flat, heated metal surface and then peeling off the very thin skin. These are used for either deep-fried or fresh spring rolls. These are the wrappers for traditional Chinese and Southeast Asian spring rolls.

The third kind of wrapper is rice paper, moistened so that it is flexible. This is used in Thailand, Vietnam, and elsewhere to make fresh (not cooked after wrapping) spring rolls.

-Paul W.

The first and the third.

I went to Tenichi Mart and bought https://nankaseimen.com/golden-dragon-skins-wrappers/ (the big squares).

Every grocery store in my neighborhood sells this brand of rice paper wrappers http://www.orientalsuper-mart.com/ourstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2680