To me, Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls are the ultimate dim sum. Pork and shrimp is the best combination because pork has umami, and shrimp has a bouncy texture. You can make these as an appetizer for yourself or bring them to a party. They stay really crispy for a very long time because I do not use any vegetables in the filling (except some green onions but they do not have much moisture).
In Vancouver, spring rolls are more or less the same at whichever dim sum you go to. They are always super crispy and delicious on the inside. The overall quality of dim sum is very high here since so many talented chefs immigrated here from Hong Kong over the last 20 years.
When I first started cooking, I always struggled with getting the outside of my spring rolls to stay crispy. After only a few minutes out of the oil, the wrappers would start getting soggy. I think it was because my fillings were too wet. Nowadays, I do not add any vegetables or water to my filling and they stay crispy for a very long time.
Important ingredients
Spring roll wrappers: These will be sold in either the refrigerated or frozen section of your Chinese grocery store. One thing to keep in mind is they dry out VERY fast so you will need to cover them with a wet towel once opened. They usually come in either a small or large size. For this recipe, I opted to use the large size because you can wrap around the filling more times and the outer layers will get more crispy.
Shrimp: The type of shrimp does not matter too much here since we will be chopping it into a mince. So I recommend just getting the cheapest one you can find.
Ground pork: Not much to say here except that more fat will be better to make the filling juicy. Try to avoid extra lean if you can.
Oyster sauce: This is a Chinese condiment made from oyster extract. The spring rolls are much tastier when you season them with oyster sauce rather than just salt. If you plan on doing a lot of Chinese cooking, I highly recommend getting a bottle, especially since I use it in a lot of my recipes!
How to wrap spring rolls
This is best illustrated through pictures. My number one tip is to not add too much filling. You want a good amount, but ultimately, you want the filling to be small enough that the spring roll wrapper can wrap around it multiple times. This is what gives it an ultra-crispy texture.
Make sure the filling does not go all the way to the edges; the sides should fold over the filling slightly so that it is not in direct contact with oil.
Frying
My favorite dipping sauce
My dip of choice is always Worcestershire sauce (which is what most dim sums provide). The tanginess really balances the richness of the deep-frying well. However, I will sometimes dip it in mayonnaise as well. For this, I actually ate it with both.
Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 24 large spring roll wrappers
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- oil (for frying)
- Worcestershire sauce and/or mayonnaise (for dipping)
For the filling
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 3 tablespoons sliced scallions
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Instructions
- If your spring roll wrappers are frozen, defrost them according to the package instructions.
- Use a butcher knife to repeatedly chop the shrimp into a very fine mince. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well for a few minutes. I like to grab a handful of the filling, lift it in the air, and slap it into the bowl. Doing this repeatedly will give it a firmer texture.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour with 1 ½ tablespoons of water to form a thick batter. We will use this to seal the spring rolls.
- Take out a spring roll wrapper from the package and cover the rest with a wet towel to prevent them from drying out.
- Place the wrapper with the pointy end facing you. Add 3 tablespoons of filling to the wrapper, about ⅓ of the way up from the bottom of the wrapper, shaped into a log. Begin wrapping from the end closest to you. When you get to the filling, fold in the sides. Continue rolling and just before the end, apply some flour water before sealing it.
- Deep-fry at 325°F in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain and make sure you let the oil come back to 325°F before each batch.
- Serve with Worcestershire sauce and/or mayonnaise. Enjoy!
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