Name: Clarissa Feildel’s traditional Vietnamese spring rolls
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 30 frozen spring roll wrappers, thawed; 2 egg whites, lightly whisked; Peanut or vegetable oil, for deep frying; Lettuce cups, shiso leaves (perilla), mint and coriander leaves, to serve; Filling; 400g pork mince; 200g green prawn meat, finely chopped; 30g dried glass noodles (mung bean), soaked and chopped; 1 large carrot, finely grated and lightly salted to extract excess liquid; 50g fresh wood ear mushrooms, chopped, or thinly sliced oyster or shiitake mushrooms; 3 green onions, finely sliced; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 eschalots, finely chopped; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon salt; Dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham); 4 tablespoons water; 4 tablespoons fish sauce; 60g caster sugar (4–5 tablespoons); 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice or vinegar; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 birdseye chillies, finely chopped

Spring rolls are beloved by Australians, and this more traditional version is no different. Made with pork, prawns, mushrooms and loads of spice, and served with a delicious chilli and lime dipping sauce, you won’t be able to stop at one.

Cook’s tips

You can also use dried wood ear mushrooms in this recipe. Soak them in hot water, squeeze out the excess water and chop.
Don’t overfill the rolls as wheat wrappers expand less than rice papers.
Refrigerating the rolls before frying is essential to avoid the rolls blistering and bursting.

Ingredients

30 frozen spring roll wrappers, thawed

2 egg whites, lightly whisked

Peanut or vegetable oil, for deep frying

Lettuce cups, shiso leaves (perilla), mint and coriander leaves, to serve

Filling

400g pork mince

200g green prawn meat, finely chopped

30g dried glass noodles (mung bean), soaked and chopped

1 large carrot, finely grated and lightly salted to extract excess liquid

50g fresh wood ear mushrooms, chopped, or thinly sliced oyster or shiitake mushrooms

3 green onions, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 eschalots, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

Dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham)

4 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons fish sauce

60g caster sugar (4–5 tablespoons)

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice or vinegar

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 birdseye chillies, finely chopped

Method

Step 1

For the filling, combine filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Step 2

Carefully peel off one spring roll wrapper and cover the remaining wrappers to avoid drying out. Place on a clean surface in a diamond shape. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto the wrapper’s bottom corner. Fold the corner over the filling, tucking it tightly. Fold in sides and roll up. Use a brush to seal the edges with egg white.

Step 3

Repeat the process to make about 30 spring rolls. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Step 4

For the dipping sauce, put water, fish sauce and sugar in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Step 5

To deep-fry spring rolls, heat oil to 170°C. Fry rolls, in batches, for 5 minutes or until golden. Drain well.

Step 6

Serve hot spring rolls with lettuce cups, shiso (perilla) leaves, herbs and dipping sauce.

clarissa feildels vietnamese spring rolls stacked on rectangular plate with lettuce cup on the side — (Photography: Con Poulos, Styling: Michele Cranston)

Clarissa Feildel Chef

As an accomplished cook, author and television presenter Clarissa Feildel has always had food at the heart of everything she does. Clarissa’s Nyonya/Chinese and Sri Lankan background has given her a melting pot of dishes in her repertoire, which she uses every day when feeding her family.