There never seem to be enough spring rolls.
Like at Chinese restaurants, all I want is a thousand spring rolls. I don’t want any of that sticky chicken or any vegetables drowned in brown sauce. I don’t need fortune cookies or the complimentary rice they throw in. All I need is an endless supply of spring rolls. I know, I’m so easy to please.
The problem is, it’s usually around a dollar per spring roll and I don’t have thousands of spring roll allocated dollars laying around. It also doesn’t make sense to me why dishes like fried chicken in sticky sauce and dumplings filled with unknown meats come in huge portions… But at the most, you’ll get two spring rolls!
Probably because they’re so valuable. That seems right. Either way, it’s fine if I go up and order a box of orange chicken for myself, but ordering three (or 500) orders of spring rolls for myself?? I’d be mocked for generations.
Also, isn’t such a shame that even though you order food in running clothes (because if you’re like me, you’re too lazy to change), people still judge you for ordering huge portions? Lame.
Anyway, that’s why I make my own spring rolls. You can make this recipe super complicated if you feel like your life isn’t challenging enough. OR you can follow my recipe and spend all that time you saved eating more spring rolls.
What’s also great about making your own spring rolls is you get to wrap them up like tasty little presents! Also known as the best kind of presents.
Remember to wrap those them tightly. No one likes a floppy spring roll.
If you’re just not feeling the whole vegetable thing today, feel free to add cooked ground chicken or turkey or other animals to the spring roll mix. If you feel nauseous at the thought of consuming fried food, just brush each spring roll with oil and bake at 400degrees until golden and crispy. And you’re right, I am incredibly accommodating!
I made it even easier by recomme nding using pre-packed coleslaw blends. All the chopping is already done! I also used Trader Joe’s Kohlrabi Salad Blend for my greens, which was a real winner.
These little guys can be easily reheated in the oven if you somehow can’t eat all of them in one sitting. Post run snack, maybe?? Or they’d probably fit really nicely in one of those running belts I see everyone wearing… You shouldn’t have to wait until after you’re run to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Veggie spring rolls
Ingredients
- 2 tsp vegetable/canola oil
- 10 oz mushrooms, sliced into thin strips
- 3 cloves garlic
- 9 oz shredded cabbage mix
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cups mixed sturdy greens, shredded (I used Trader Joe's Kohlrabi Salad Blend)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 20 spring roll wrappers
- 2 cups vegetable/canola oil (or 2 Tbsp if baking)
- sweet chili sauce, for serving
Instructions
-
In a large pan, heat 2 tsp of oil to a medium heat.
-
Saute garlic and green onions until fragrant then add mushrooms. Cook until the juices begin to run, then add the cabbage and greens.
-
Continue to cook until the liquid has almost entirely evaporated. Add sesame oil and soy sauce and cook until all liquid is gone. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
-
Begin heating the two cups of oil over a medium-low heat (a cast iron pan works well for this). Or if baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-
Place a spring roll wrapper on a cutting board in a diamond shape. Using your finger or a pastry brush, lightly brush the sides of the wrapper with water.
-
Scoop about 2 tbsp of mixture about an inch away from the corner closest to you. Fold the corner over the mixture, tuck in the sides, and roll up tightly. Continue until you are out of filling or wrappers.
-
For frying: Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Dip the end of a spring roll into the oil. If it starts to sizzle, the oil is hot enough. Fry approximately 1 minute on each side, making sure each side is equally golden. Let excess oil drain on paper towels. Enjoy immediately with sweet chili sauce.
-
For baking: Wipe down a baking sheet with oil. With a pastry brush, brush each spring roll lightly with oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy immediately with sweet chili sauce.
