I received a random email the other day…
Hello Julia, I don't know if you remember me but I was married to J. I just moved to Denver and on my way out here they broke into my UHAUL and stole everything. They got a box with my cookbooks and more important your recipe for Thai Spring Rolls. Is there any way to get that recipe again?
I haven’t seen R in years. And in fact, I barely knew him, so it’s not surprising that we “lost touch.” His wife used to work with me as my assistant during Interactive cooking parties. I met him a handful of times, including the evening I cooked them dinner as a thank you for all the help J gave me.
How awful that he should lose everything in a move like that! And how flattered I was that, of all the things he lost, he should remember the spring roll recipe.
I agree they are quite delicious. And I don’t make them nearly enough. They are easy enough to make, though the spring roll wrapping is a bit time consuming. It’s so worth the effort.
Thai Mini Spring Rolls
2 oz. Bean thread noodles- (MUNG bean)
¼ cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro- (coarsely chopped)
¾ pound ground pork (or chicken)
¼ pound shrimp-shelled — deveined & chopped
1 tbs. Thai fish sauce
2 tsp. sugar
4 scallions, julienned
1 carrot; peeled, julienned
¼ Pound Bean sprouts — tails removed
8 12-inch spring roll skins
Peanut oil for deep-frying
1. Soak bean thread noodles in warm water until soft and pliable (about 15 minutes). Drain the noodles and cut into 1-inch lengths; set aside
2. Heat a skillet or wok. Add oil, cook garlic, pork, shrimp and carrots. Add fish sauce, pepper, cilantro and sugar. Add scallions, bean sprouts, and the reserved bean thread noodles; mix together thoroughly.
3. Lay one sheet of spring roll wrapper with a pointed edge nearest to you, on a flat surface. Mold 3 tablespoon of pork mixture into 1-inch wide by 2-inch long cylinder and put it near the pointed edge of the wrapper. Fold bottom of wrapper over filling. Fold left and right sides over each end to enclose filling. Continue rolling until completely sealed. Repeat with remaining filling.
4. Fry over medium high heat until crispy all over.
THAI SPRING ROLL DIP: Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar in a saucepan over medium-high heat; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup of liquid. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbs. fish sauce and 1/4 tsp. chile flakes.