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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Deliciously crispy Northern spring rolls, rich in flavor, are a traditional roll beloved by Vietnamese people, especially those from the North. Today, let’s get into the kitchen with TasteVN to make a very simple spring roll recipe that ensures the delicious taste is just like in a restaurant!
Ingredients for Northern Spring Rolls Serves 2 – 3 people
Pork belly 300 gr Carrot 1 piece Cabbage 1/2 piece Shallots 100 gr Wood ear mushrooms 100 gr Glass noodles 100 gr (about 2 rolls) Duck eggs 3 pieces Spring roll rice paper 1 pack Cooking oil 250 ml Common seasonings A little (Salt/ seasoning powder/ monosodium glutamate/ peppercorn)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh pork belly
- You should choose pieces of meat that are pink or light red, with good elasticity when touched, a dry surface, a balanced ratio of fat and meat, sticking tightly together as these are signs of fresh, quality meat.
- Good pork belly pieces usually have a skin layer about 1/2 finger thick, so you should avoid choosing pieces with too thick skin, as the meat will be tough and not tasty.
- Avoid choosing pieces of meat with unusual colors like greenish-purple or yellowish, soft or overly hard when touched, and with a foul smell because these are pieces of meat that have been stored for too long and have spoiled.
How to choose fresh, delicious, and quality carrots
- Prioritize buying carrots that have a bright orange color, smooth skin, straight shape, not too large but just the right size, and when held in hand, they feel firm with a moderate hardness.
- Be careful not to choose carrots that show signs of cracking, have distorted shapes, the outer skin color has changed, or have a foul smell, as these are carrots that have been stored for too long and do not ensure quality.
How to choose good, guaranteed chicken eggs
- You should choose chicken eggs with a dark brown shell, without any black spots, and when you touch the surface, you should feel a rough texture, slightly grainy; this indicates that the eggs are fresh and still good.
- Additionally, you can hold the egg up to your ear and gently shake it; if you hear a sound inside, and the sound is louder, it indicates that the egg has been stored for a long time, is spoiled, or is in the process of being incubated. Conversely, if you hear no sound, it is a fresh chicken egg.
- Avoid choosing eggs that have a pale color, many black spots, and a smooth surface when touched, as these are eggs that have been stored for too long and are no longer fresh or good, which may affect the flavor of the dish when cooked.
How to choose fresh and delicious cabbage
- You should choose fresh cabbages that are of moderate size, not too big and not too small, while looking round and even, with the outer leaves not bruised or too torn, as these are fresh and delicious cabbages.
- In addition, you should buy cabbages that have a bright, even green color, and when sniffed, they should have a faint natural aroma without any musty or strong chemical odors.
- Moreover, you need to avoid buying cabbages that are large but feel too light when picked up, as these are hollow cabbages, and they will not taste good when eaten or cooked.
How to choose delicious and safe wood ear mushrooms
- You should prioritize buying wood ear mushrooms with large, thick ears and few offspring at the base.
- In addition, you also need to pay attention to the color of the mushrooms; good mushrooms usually have a dark amber color, with a certain shine on the upper surface and a coffee milk color on the underside.
- You should also avoid choosing wood ear mushrooms that look too dark, as they may become mushy when soaked in water and are less crunchy, which can affect the flavor of the dish when cooked.
-800x450.jpg "How to Make Crispy Northern-Style Spring Rolls, Restaurant-Quality 2")
How to make Northern Spring Rolls
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Prepare the ingredients
For the pork belly, after buying, you will rinse it with water, then use about 1 tablespoon of salt to rub all over the surface of the meat to eliminate odors and dirt. Next, take the meat out to drain and proceed to finely chop it.
Peel the carrot, slice it thinly, and then cut it into shreds. Cut the cabbage in half and you only need to use one half, then also shred it thinly like the carrot.
After cutting the carrot and radish, put them into a large basin, rinse them clean with water, and place them in a colander to drain.
Soak the wood ear mushrooms in a bowl with cold water for about 2 – 3 hours. When the mushrooms have softened, use a knife to cut off the stems and the outer layer, then wash them again with clean water, drain, and shred them.
Peel and finely chop the shallots.
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Mixing the filling
You will place all the prepared ingredients, including minced pork belly, carrots, cabbage, and shredded wood ear mushrooms, into a large bowl.
For 2 rolls of vermicelli, you do not need to soak them in water; instead, use your hands to squeeze them apart and add them directly to the filling bowl.
Next, add 1 teaspoon of whole black pepper, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate to the bowl. Use chopsticks to mix thoroughly so that the seasonings are evenly distributed.
Then, you will crack 3 duck eggs into the filling bowl. Put on gloves and mix the mixture thoroughly.
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Rolling the Spring Rolls
You place the rice paper on a cutting board or on another flat surface to make the rolling process easier!
Then, put about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of the rice paper and carefully use your hands to fold the two edges in and roll it tightly, evenly, and gently so that the filling doesn’t fall out when frying.
Continue doing this until you finish the filling.
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Fry the spring rolls
You place a skillet on the stove and wait for it to heat up, then add about 200 ml of cooking oil to the skillet. Wait until the oil is hot, then gradually add each spring roll and fry them over medium heat to avoid burning and ensure the filling is evenly cooked.
Once you see one side of the spring roll turns golden brown, flip it to the other side to cook it evenly.
When both sides of the spring roll are golden brown, you can remove them and place them on a plate or a metal strainer set over a bowl to let excess oil drain off.
You will continue frying until all the spring rolls are done, and then you can enjoy them right away!
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Final product
After completing the process, you have a delicious and appealing dish of Northern-style spring rolls. The spring rolls are crispy on the outside, while the filling of meat, carrots, and cabbage is soft and richly flavored.
You can dip this dish with a little chili sauce to enhance the flavor of the spring rolls!
Hopefully, with the guidance steps shared by TasteVN above, you can successfully make the Northern spring rolls that are fragrant, crispy, and restaurant-quality. This dish is very suitable for you to cook for the whole family to enjoy on days when you want to change your family’s palate. Wishing you great success!
