For just about every major family gathering from Lunar New Year to birthdays, my grandmother would make a heaping mixing bowl of her signature spring roll filling and our whole family would sit around her dining table, rolling spring rolls together and catching up. My grandmother could deftly roll a perfect spring roll in 5 seconds flat, but she took great joy in sitting back and watching as we all attempted to emulate hers (the key is not to overstuff them). Stuffed with tender chicken and flavourful veggies, then pan-fried until perfectly golden and crispy, these spring rolls have a special place in my heart (and often disappear faster than you can fry them up!).
Spring rolls are a symbolic food in Chinese households: they’re often made for Lunar New Year (also known as Spring Festival — hence the name spring rolls!) because their appearance is similar to bars of gold. They are a symbol of wealth and prosperity, and eating them is meant to bring you good fortune in the year to come. This recipe is perfect for getting the whole family involved, and can (and should!) be enjoyed any time of year.
ingredients
directions
In a food processor, chop chicken and set aside.
In the same food processor, chop green onions, ginger, cabbage and carrot.
In a large pan or wok over medium heat, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add in chicken, and sauté until no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside in a clean bowl.
Then, into the same pan, add in the finely chopped green onions, ginger, cabbage and carrot. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Drizzle soya sauce and oyster sauce over top, then add white pepper, sugar and bouillon, stirring to combine. Add in the flour and stir until all ingredients are lightly coated. Stir occasionally until the mixture has cooked down and thickened.
Add chicken back into pan, stirring to combine. Taste the mixture and add additional soy sauce and white pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let mixture fully cool (this way, you won’t get soggy spring rolls).
To wrap your spring rolls, lay a wrapper on a clean plate. Arrange a row of filling in the centre (about 2 tablespoons worth), fold in edges, and roll up to create your spring roll. Repeat with all remaining filling and spring roll wrappers.
Set aside folded spring rolls on a clean plate.
In a large flat pan over medium heat, add in remaining cooking oil, generously coating bottom of the pan.
Once the oil has heated up, gently lay your spring rolls in the pan. They will start to sizzle!
Cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes, and then flip.
Once both sides are golden, place on a cooling rack until ready to serve.
Serve immediately on their own or with your favourite dipping sauce.
