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Yunnan Style Spring Rolls (春卷, chunjuan)

The Yunnan version of the ubiquitous spring roll is generally made larger than its Cantonese cousin. It is also made using a thicker and more porous pastry which gives it a more deep-fried flavour.

Ingredients
1/2 bunch (approximately 100 grams) chives
250 grams bean shoots
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
100 grams minced pork (vegetarians can use chopped tofu and/or mushrooms as a substitute)
1 tablespoon cornflour
oil for deep frying
30 pre made spring roll rounds -These rounds can be made at home with wheat flour, egg white and water or purchased in a local market.

Part one – Preparing the filling
Fill a wok halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add chives. Boil for around 30 seconds to blanche the chives and then remove. Chop the chives into 2 cm lengths. Add bean shoots to the water, boil for one minute and then remove.

Place chives, bean shoots and minced pork in large mixing bowl. Add soy sauce, salt and a tablespoon of cooking oil and mix thoroughly.

Mix cornflour with about 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Keep this 'glue' handy.


Part two – Rolling
Place a small amount of the mixture onto a round and spread it lengthways approximately 1/4 of the way into the round. Roll up the round until about halfway then fold in the edges after applying a little of the cornflour 'glue' with a finger to each of them. Apply a little glue to the end of the round and roll along to complete the rolling process. Place completed spring roll on a plate and then repeat with the next round until the filling is used up.


Part three - Frying
Heat a sufficient depth of oil in a wok to just under a boil and place the first spring roll in. After a short while add the second. Cook each roll until nice and brown, which will require turning them over in the wok. Ideally, you will want to have your own 'production line' of 4-6 rolls in your wok at any time with a new roll going in one end as the longest-cooked roll is taken out the other.


When browned each roll should be removed from the wok and placed on a plate, ready for eating. The spring rolls are ordinarily served hot without any dipping sauce alongside the other courses of a meal.

Tags: food and drink, Yunnan cuisine