Crispy Spring Rolls (Paw Pia Tod)

August 3, 2021

Crispy Spring Rolls (Paw Pia Tod) © kvalifood.com

Thai crispy spring rolls with a stir-fried glass noodle filling. The filling is so good on its own that you might not bother wrapping them. In Thai cooking, stir-frying is commonly used to make fillings for dumplings, stuffed pastries, and spring rolls. Makes 12-14 rolls, about 30 minutes total.

Ingredients

Makes 12-14 rolls

45 g glass noodles, dry
3-4 shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water until soft (at least 1 hour)
125 g ground pork
1 Tbsp soy sauce
vegetable oil, for frying
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
1/2 tsp white pepper, ground
3 ½ dl cabbage, finely shredded
2 ¼ dl carrot, grated
6 cilantro stems, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
12-14 20 ½ cm spring roll wrappers, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Directions

Soak the glass noodles in room-temperature water for 10 minutes. Drain and cut into 2-3 inch lengths with scissors.

Remove the shiitake mushrooms from their soaking water and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Finely chop and set aside.

Mix the ground pork with 1 tsp of the soy sauce and set aside.

Heat a little vegetable oil in a wok or large saute pan. Add the garlic, black pepper, and white pepper, stirring until the garlic turns slightly golden. Add the pork and cook until no longer clumpy and almost done. Add the shiitake mushrooms, glass noodles, cabbage, carrot, cilantro stems, sugar, salt, and the remaining 2 tsp soy sauce. Toss until the noodles are fully cooked and the cabbage has wilted, adding a splash of water if the noodles stick. Taste and add more salt if needed. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool completely before wrapping.

To wrap, place a spring roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing towards you. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of filling slightly off-centre towards you and shape it into a 5-inch log. Fold the nearest corner over the filling and roll once, keeping it tight. Fold the left and right corners inward, then continue rolling. Brush the remaining exposed wrapper with beaten egg and finish rolling to seal.

Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a pot to 350°F (177°C). Fry the spring rolls until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Cut on a sharp bias for a nicer presentation. Serve with sweet chili dipping sauce.

Notes

The filling can be made in advance. Assembled rolls keep in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for a few months.
Separate thawed spring roll wrappers ahead of time - they stick together. Keep them under a damp towel while working to prevent drying out.
The filling is versatile. Try different proteins, add Thai chili paste to the seasoning, or make a samosa-style version with potato, chicken, and yellow curry paste.