Crispy Spring Rolls with Pork and Aromatic Herbs

Preparing the Ingredients

1. 1

   Pour boiling water over the wood ear mushrooms and leave for 10-15 minutes to soften and expand. After this time, drain thoroughly and spread them on a board to evaporate excess moisture. Then, cut the mushrooms into thin strips.

2. 2

   Pour the rice vermicelli into boiling water, remove the pot from the heat, cover, and leave for 3-4 minutes. Once softened, drain carefully and spread out to dry. When cool, cut it into shorter pieces.

3. 3

   Chop the mint and fresh parsley, making sure the leaves are clearly visible in the finished filling. Set aside.

4. 4

   Peel the first piece of fresh ginger, then chop it very finely.

5. 5

   Wash and peel the carrots carefully. Cut them into thin matchstick-like strips. For easier cutting, you can cut off a piece of carrot to create a stable base, then cut it into slices and fine strips.

6. 6

   Peel and finely chop the remaining piece of ginger as well.

7. 7

   Peel and crush the garlic, then mince finely.

Preparing the Filling

1. 1

   Heat a skillet and pour in 15 ml of rice oil.

2. 2

   Add the chopped ginger and garlic (for frying) and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, lightly browning them, but being careful not to burn them.

3. 3

   Add the pork to the skillet and immediately mix carefully so that the ginger and garlic do not develop too strong, bitter taste. Increase the heat as the skillet temperature will drop after adding the meat.

4. 4

   Fry the meat, breaking it up with a spatula, until all the pink pieces disappear. Continue frying to evaporate excess water, aiming for as little liquid in the pan as possible.

5. 5

   Season the meat with a pinch of salt (remember that soy sauce is also salty) and white pepper.

6. 6

   Once the water has completely evaporated, add the sliced carrots and braise everything for about 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Pour in 5 tablespoons of soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of fish sauce. Cook the filling for another 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

8. 8

   Transfer the cooked meat with carrots to a separate bowl and set aside to cool.

9. 9

   Add the chopped herbs – mint and parsley, as well as the second finely chopped piece of fresh ginger to the cooled filling.

10. 10

    Add the chopped wood ear mushrooms and the prepared rice vermicelli.

11. 11

    Crack in one egg, which will help bind the filling ingredients. Mix everything carefully so that all the elements are evenly distributed.

Wrapping the Spring Rolls

1. 1

   Prepare the rolling station: a bowl of warm water, a damp cutting board or flat work surface, and a plate for the finished spring rolls. Remember to prepare the filling.

2. 2

   Dip a sheet of rice paper in warm water for about 2 seconds, then gently drain off excess water.

3. 3

   Place about 25 g of filling (about one tablespoon) near the bottom edge of the moistened rice paper.

4. 4

   Gently press the filling from the bottom. First, wrap the bottom edge of the paper, then fold the sides (right and left) towards the center, and finally roll the spring roll from bottom to top, creating a neat roll.

5. 5

   Place the finished spring rolls on a plate in such a way that they do not touch, as the rice paper is quite sticky.

Frying the Spring Rolls

1. 1

   Heat 300 ml of rapeseed oil in a wok or deep skillet.

2. 2

   Check the oil temperature by throwing in a small piece of bread – if bubbles appear around it, the oil is ready for frying.

3. 3

   Fry the spring rolls in batches for 2-3 minutes on one side until they have a beautiful, golden color. Then carefully flip them and fry on the other side until they are evenly crispy.

4. 4

   Remove the fried spring rolls from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat.

Serving

1. 1

   Serve the spring rolls hot, preferably with sweet chili sauce, which perfectly enhances their flavor.