SWEET AND SOUR CURRY SPRING ROLLS

 

1 pound shrimp
1 pound minced turkey or minced pork
8 scallions
1 red pepper
4 ounces Chinese mushrooms, soaked in water 20 minutes
1 small piece ginger
8-ounce can water chestnuts
1/2 Chinese medium sized cabbage
1 tablespoon dry sherry
3/4 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or Chinese chili paste (optional)
1 tablespoon oil
Oil, for deep frying
Wood chopsticks
For wrapping spring rolls:
100 spring roll wrappers
2 tablespoons corn flour
1 bowl of water, half full
1 damp clean hand or kitchen towel

 

Shell and de-vein shrimp, and put into food processor. Add minced meat, finely chopped scallions, finely chopped red pepper, finely chopped mushrooms, grated ginger, chopped water chestnuts, shredded cabbage, sherry, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt, curry powder, molasses, chili powder and process slowly only until shrimp is coarsely chopped in the food processor and watching closely not to over process shrimp. In a wok, or heated sauté pan, add tablespoon of oil and sauté mixture until 3/4 cooked, on high heat about 3 to 4 minutes, tossing mixture around in pan constantly.

Prepare work area. Clean a surface and place bowl of water with corn flour mixed in, damp towel, spring roll wrappers, and partially cooked turkey mixture in work area. Start wrapping spring rolls by placing one wrapper at a time down on flat surface in at a diamond angle to you. Fill about 2 tablespoons of mixture starting a little above the bottom point of the wrapper. Dip fingers in the water bowl and moisten the top and sides of the wrapper. Start at the bottom tip and fold wrapper over turkey mix, rolling the mix into the wrapper half way. Then fold sides inward and continue rolling, sealing with more water if necessary on top. Continue to fold one at a time, keeping the finished ones moist under the moist clean towel (the towel should not be dripping wet, just moist to the touch).

Time to Fry! In a deep frying pot, fill halfway with corn or vegetable oil. Heat until when wood chopsticks are placed in to touch the bottom, there are fast streams of bubbles streaming to the top (yes, that’s the way my mother taught me!). Very important: before placing spring rolls in oil, make sure they are dry on the outside (if your towel was too damp, you must dry off the rolls in paper towel first, otherwise the oil will pop). Place spring rolls in a few at a time making sure to keep them separated while frying. If the oil is too hot, the outside will cook too quickly, leaving the inside undercooked – adjust the temperature so that each spring roll takes about 5 to 7 minutes each to cook through and are golden brown. Drain and serve immediately.

Excellent when served with your favorite dipping sauce. Try a sweeter sauce with spring rolls such as a plum or duck sauce.