spring roll

Maehashi’s selected fried spring rolls wrap pork, dried shiitake mushrooms and shredded vegetables in large square wrappers. She describes a crisp shell around a filling that retains some vegetable crunch.

The mushrooms soak in boiling water, then drain and squeeze before chopping. Garlic and pork cook in a first portion of oil, followed by carrot, bean sprouts, cabbage, oyster sauce, selected light soy and a little cornstarch.

The filling cooks until its excess liquid has evaporated, then cools before wrapping. A separate cornstarch-and-water mixture seals the folded wrapper edges. The unused wrappers stay covered with a damp cloth.

A separate batch of vegetable oil fries the rolls until golden. This follows Maehashi’s frying route, which she serves hot with the sweet and sour sauce beside it.

That own dipping sauce combines apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and soy sauce with another cornstarch-and-water mixture. It briefly simmers and thickens, giving a sweet, tangy contrast to the savoury filling and crisp wrapper.