Fried Spring Rolls

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Mekong Delta Blues: Master Kong Nay & Ouch Savy : They call it the Mekong Delta Blues because Master Kong Nay has a striking resemblance to Ray Charles. What is most impressive is that Kong Nay was one of the few musicians that survived the genocide of the Khmer Rouge – a tragedy that occurred only a few decades ago. He was forced to sing propaganda music in order to save his life, and now is the oldest musician carrying on the traditional Cambodian chapei. Hear more about his life and his survival on Kong Nay: NPR.

Spring rolls. Oh deliciously fried spring rolls. Perhaps not the healthiest option when traveling through SE Asia, but probably one of the most delicious treats when made right. Often when we were touring around new towns on our trip, we would want to stop for a cold beer and a snack. However, “snacking” is not really part of the SE Asian culture. They stick to their 3 meals a day at a pretty rigid schedule. So, spring rolls became a staple snack for us since they are offered at most restaurants – and, well, they pair quite nicely with a cold beer. This is a very simple recipe that can be altered to include meat (typically pork or shrimp), but the vegetarian version is just as satisfying in my opinion.

Why the heck are you using grams in your ingredient list, you say? Well, this is pretty standard outside of the United States and I thought it would be fun to stay traditional with the recipe from my cooking class. The only thing I can really convert the ingredients list to is pounds, so you’re gonna have to use a little guess work. And you know what – that’s ok because this is really based on your likes and tastes. This is a very basic recipe – the idea is to shred up a few veggies (and meats if you want), roll them into the rice paper wrappers and fry them up. The filling can change at any point based on what you like – so go crazy and try new things!

Ingredients:

100 g taro (taro is a tuber, similar to a potato; substitute with sweet potato if needed)
20 g carrot (a carrot or two)
2 – 3 stalks spring onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely
Spring Roll wrappers (can be rice or wheat paper; check in the produce section next to the tofu, or possibly in the freezer department)

How we did it:

Makes 8 to 10 spring rolls.

Make the Spring Rolls:

Peel the taro (or sweet potatoes) and carrots. Use a cheese grater to shred, and set aside.
Finely slice the spring onion.
Mix the taro, carrot and onion with the spices (salt, pepper and crushed garlic).
Lay out a single sheet of the spring roll wrapper. Place a Tbsp of the mixture at the bottom of the wrapper, and stretch it out into a longer log shape.
Start rolling the wrapper over the mixture, being sure to keep it tight. When you get it about half way rolled, fold over the left and right sides. Now keep rolling until you reach the end. Set aside.
Continue rolling until you have finished all of the mixture.

Cook the Spring Rolls:

Heat oil in a frying pan. You will need it to be about an inch deep.
When the oil is hot, add the spring rolls gently into the pan one at a time.
Let the rolls get golden brown on one side before flipping. It takes about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Line a plate or tray with paper towels, and place the fried spring rolls on the paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Serve the spring rolls with a side of sweet and sour sauce. For a different variation, try a spicy peanut sauce.