FoodA culinary journey: Crafting perfect spring rolls

A culinary journey: Crafting perfect spring rolls

Spring rolls are a popular dish in Asian cuisine, often served as an appetiser. These are thin rolls made from rice paper filled with a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, meat, or seafood. Due to their versatility and the possibility of using many ingredients, spring rolls are an excellent choice both as a light snack and as part of a larger meal.

Spring rolls

Images source: © Adobe Stock | JILL CHEN

Katarzyna Gileta

5 January 2025 17:58

These thin, delicate rolls are made from rice paper, which is filled with various ingredients. The most common fillings are fresh vegetables, meat, seafood, and various sauces. Depending on preferences, spring rolls can be served raw, preserving the crunchiness of the ingredients, or deep-fried, transforming them into crispy egg rolls.

Due to their versatility and the variety of ingredients that can be used, spring rolls are an excellent choice both as a light snack and as part of a larger meal. They can be served cold or hot and are often accompanied by various sauces such as soy sauce or spicy sriracha.

Spring rolls - recipe

Ingredients:

Rice paper (a few sheets, depending on the number of servings),
Chosen filling, such as chopped white cabbage, carrot, spring onion, fresh cucumber,
Optional: vermicelli noodles, smoked salmon, bell pepper, mango.

Sauce for serving:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon water

How to prepare spring rolls?

Prepare the ingredients: Peel the carrot and grate it, finely chop the onion and other vegetables. If you want to add meat or seafood, ensure they are properly prepared, i.e., cooked or sautéed.

Preparing the rice paper: Dip each sheet of rice paper in warm water for a few seconds until it becomes soft and flexible.

Wrapping: Place your chosen filling in the centre of the paper. Roll the paper into a roll: fold the sides towards the centre first, and then roll from the bottom to the top, similar to cabbage rolls.

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Serving: You can serve spring rolls cold, immediately after wrapping, or fry them in a small amount of oil until they become crispy. Serve with the prepared sauce.

Spring rolls make an excellent appetiser for both everyday meals and larger social gatherings, providing a light yet flavourful delight. They are colourful, crispy, and can be easily adapted to guests' preferences. When organising a gathering, including them on the menu is a great idea because they are tasty and look impressive on the table.