Lacy Spring Rolls with Crab, Prawn and Taro - by Tracey Lister & Andreas Pohl

Ingredients

130 g (4 1/2 oz/ 3/4 cup) rice flour
90 g (3 oz/./ 2/3 cup) tapioca flour
1 egg yolk
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Classic Dipping Sauce (see page 181), to serve (or your favourite dipping sauce)

Filling:

6 dried black fungus (wood ears)
150 g (5 1/2 oz) crabmeat, chopped
150 g (5 1/2 oz) prawn (shrimp) meat, chopped
300 g (10 1/2 oz) minced (ground) pork
200 g (7 oz) taro, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fish sauce
1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

Sift the flours into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolk and 200 ml (7 fl oz) water. Whisk until you have a smooth, thin batter, then set aside while preparing the filling.

Filling:

Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out any excess water. Discard the stems. Thinly slice the caps, then place in a large bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix well.

To make the lacy wrappers, heat a 25 cm (10 inch) non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Moisten a piece of paper towel with oil, then rub it over the base of the pan so it leaves a light film of oil. (You will need to repeat this process before cooking each new wrapper.)

Spread your fingers and place them in the batter, then lift your fingers out of the bowl and allow some of the batter to run off. Place
your hand, fingers pointing down, over the hot pan and move your hand in a circular motion to form a large lacy pattern in the pan. Cook for 10 seconds, just on the one side, then remove from the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Place a lacy wrapper on a flat surface. Put a heaped tablespoon of the filling, in an oblong shape, on the bottom third of the wrapper.
Lift the side closest to you to encase the filling, then fold in the sides and continue rolling. Place on a plate, seam side down, and
continue with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Heat about 13 cm (5 inches) of oil in a wok. To test the oil, place the tip of a wooden chopstick into the oil — when bubbles slowly rise
to the surface, the oil is hot enough to use. Cook the spring rolls in batches for 2–3 minutes, until crisp, golden and cooked through.

Drain on paper towel and serve immediately, with the dipping sauce.

Credits: This is an edited extract from Made In Vietnam by Tracey Lister & Andreas Pohl published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.99 and is available in stores nationally.

Photo Credits: This is an edited extract from Made In Vietnam by Tracey Lister & Andreas Pohl published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.99 and is available in stores nationally.