Chinese Spring Rolls With Shrimp and Vegetables
Since I discovered the classic Chinese spring rolls recipe, it has become one of our favourite starters for many festive meals, a really special and delicious treat. Meanwhile, I've tested a new version, equally good, with shrimp and veggies, but no noodles. I warmly recommend this recipe if you want to eat something interesting and very tasty at the same time!
Two or three hours before you start cooking the rolls, soak the shiitake mushrooms in water (usually, they come dried). If they are fresh, skip this step.
Don't forget to thaw the phyllo sheets.
Clean the shrimp if it's raw and with shells. Thaw in advance if it's frozen and drain well.
Heat a little oil in a pan and cook the chopped garlic for 1-2 minutes until slightly brown.
Right after, add the shrimp to the pan, stir and cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes, until it changes colour.
Then turn heat off and, using a spatula, transfer shrimp on a plate and let cool for a bit.
Once cooled, cut into thin slices or dice and set aside.
Cut the carrot and the cabbage into narrow strips.
It would be easier to use a mandoline slicer for the cabbage, if you have one.
Heat some more oil in a larger pan and add in the white part from a spring onion, chopped.
Stir and cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes.
Then add the cabbage and the carrot, mix frequently and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Drain well the shiitake mushrooms and cut into thin slices. Remove the woody stem, it's not edible.
Place the sliced mushrooms over veggies in the pan, mix and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add in the chopped shrimp, stir and cook for another minute.
At the end, add some soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and turn heat off.
Let the mixture cool for 15-20 minutes before wrapping the rolls.
To wrap the rolls, place 2 overlapped phyllo sheets on the table.
Cut into 6 roughly equally sized squares.
Brush the margins of each square with a little eggwash.
For the vegan recipe, use water instead of egg.
Spoon out 1-2 tbsp veggies and shrimp mixture on one of the corners of each square.
Roll up the square and bring the edges inside.
I used a whole packet of filo sheets and the filling was enough for only half of them - meaning 19-20 rolls.
The rest of the pastry can be either placed back in the freezer or used to make rolls filled with telemea, a type of Romanian cheese. Simply crumble the cheese with your hands. We liked this a lot, especially the kids, it's just the whey from the cheese which might leak out when fried.
Heat a little oil and place the rolls in a pan.
Cook on all sides until nice brown.
Transfer on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
They are the best when they are warm, crunchy and flavoured with soy sauce or spicy Chinese oil.
Enjoy!
