Chinese Spring Rolls

These spring rolls turned out to be sensational at one of our family meals - everybody was fighting over them, the kids liked them so much and the adults had the same thought... Extraordinarily good, tender, crispy, flavourful, they are relatively easy to cook. I wouldn't recommend replacing the shiitake mushrooms, they have a great garlic flavour and I believe that one of the charms of these spring rolls comes from this particular taste.

I decided to wrap them in pie dough, not in rice wrappers - they are easier to roll up, they are crispy, they look golden and exemplary.

Besides, this filling with vegetables and rice noodles is so tasty that you can make even without the rolls. I cook it very often now as a healthy and interesting side dish for other foods. You'll notice in the pictures that I've made more than I needed for the spring rolls. I did it on purpose, to have it as a side dish once the spring rolls are finished.

Ingredients
Carrots
1 piece
White cabbage
200 g
if you have, use Chinese cabbage, I used here simple white cabbage
Green onions
2 pieces
Glass noodles
100 g
Dried shiitake mushrooms
5 pieces
Phylo dough sheets
12 pieces
a regular packet, mine had 12 thin sheets
Egg whites
1 piece
raw
Soy sauce
2 tsp
Sesame oil
1 tbsp
Sunflower oil
50 ml
Salt and pepper
0.5 tsp
to taste
Step by step
Step 1

Before starting preparing the veggies, pour cold water over the shiitake mushrooms.

Soak for 30-40 minutes.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 1
Step 2

When they are ready, drain the mushrooms with your hands and use a knife to remove the woody stem - it's not edible.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 2
Step 3

Cut the mushrooms into thin slices.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 3
Step 4

Chop the cabbage and the carrots as finely as possible.

Cut the spring onions into 2cm long sticks.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 4
Step 5

Prepare the glass noodles according to the directions on the package.

I pour hot boiling water over them and let soak for a few minutes.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 5
Step 6

Then I strain them through a sieve and cut them with the kitchen shears. They are too long, which makes it hard to stir when the veggies are added.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 6
Step 7

Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sesame oil over the drained noodles, mix for a while and set aside for now.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 7
Step 8

Heat the sunflower oil in a skillet, place the carrots, onion and cabbage.

Stir frequently and cook for 5 minutes over high heat.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 8
Step 9

After 5 minutes, add the mushrooms, mix and cook for another 2 minutes.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 9
Step 10

Sir in the rice noodles.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 10
Step 11

Mix thoroughly, add 2 tsp soy sauce - not too much, though, we don't want the filling to be runny!

Taste and add salt and pepper if needed, turn off heat.

Allow this mixture to cool down.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 11
Step 12

Thaw the phyllo sheets in advance.

Take 2 sheets at once, overlap and cut them into 4-6 big squares.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 12
Step 13

Brush the sides of each square with raw egg white.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 13
Step 14

Spoon 1 tbsp of veggies and rice noodles filling into one of the corners.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 14
Step 15

Start rolling up the corner.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 15
Step 16

Bring the opposite edges toward the centre.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 16
Step 17

Keep rolling the pastry up.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 17
Step 18

Repeat the procedure for all the sheets - overlap 2 sheets, cut into 4 squares, spoon filling into each square and roll up.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 18
Step 19

Heat a little sunflower oil in a skillet and lower the spring rolls into the oil.

Fry on all sides over a high heat, this way, they won't soak up so much oil. 

Remove from the skillet and drain on kitchen paper.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 19
Step 20

They are perfect warm, but I noticed they were crispy and tasty as well when cold.

They make an interesting appetizer or snack.

Enjoy!

Chinese Spring Rolls - Step 20
Quantity: 1 kg (24 bucati)
Prep time:
30 min
Difficulty: easy
Ready in: 60 min