Pork & Mung Bean Spring Rolls
Submitted by tnjayman
Pork and mung bean spring rolls: ground pork stir-fried with bean sprouts and onion, wrapped in egg roll skins, dipped in a Bisquick batter and deep-fried golden. American-Chinese style.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
7 minREADY
35 minThese are classic mid-century American-Chinese spring rolls, the kind that built the takeout menu of every neighborhood Chinese-American restaurant in the 60s and 70s. The filling is a quick stir-fry of ground pork and crisp mung bean sprouts seasoned with soy sauce, dry sherry, and garlic salt.
The twist that makes this version unusual is the batter dip. Most spring rolls go straight from the wrapper into the fryer. Here you dip the rolled bundles into a Bisquick-egg-water batter first, which adds an extra layer of fried-puffy crunch around the egg roll skin. The result is closer to a Chinese-restaurant fried wonton-meets-egg-roll hybrid, with serious shatter.
Serve with the trio of dipping sauces called for: hot mustard, ketchup, and soy sauce. Yes, ketchup. That’s the diner-Chinese hallmark.
Pro Tips
- Cool the filling completely before rolling. Hot filling wilts the skins and creates steam pockets that burst open in the fryer.
- Roll tightly but not too tight. Air pockets cause the rolls to balloon and split; ultra-tight rolls split because the filling expands.
- Test the oil temperature with a wooden chopstick. Steady bubbles around it means the oil is right around 370°F (185°C). No bubbles is too cold, vigorous bubbles is too hot.
- Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels alone. Rack-drained rolls stay crisper longer because steam doesn’t collect underneath.
Variations
- Skip the batter dip for a more traditional thinner-skinned spring roll.
- Use ground turkey or shrimp in place of pork.
- Add julienned carrots and shredded cabbage to the filling for more vegetable bulk.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine pork, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, sherry and garlic salt; mix well.
Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in hot wok or large skillet over medium-high heat; brown pork mixture in hot oil.
Add bean sprouts, onion and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
Stir-fry until vegetables are tender-crisp; drain and cool.
Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup water.
Place about ⅓ cupful pork mixture on lower half of egg roll skin.
Moisten left and right edges withcornstarch mixture.
Fold bottom edge up to just cover filling.
Fold left and right edges ½ inch over; roll up jelly-roll fashion.
Moisten top egde with cornstarch mixture and seal.
Complete all rolls.
Combine biscuit mix, egg and remaining ½ cup water in small bowl; dip each roll in batter.
Heat oil for frying in wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat to 370℉ (185℃).
Deep fry rolls, a few at a time, in hot oil 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, turning often.
Drain on paper towwels.
Slice each roll into 4 pieces.
Serve with hot mustard, ketchup and soy sauce as desired.
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