Lai'an Spring Rolls

Lai'an Spring Rolls

　　Spring rolls, also known as spring pancakes or thin pancakes. Lai'an spring rolls evolved from the oiled pancakes and rolled dumpling wraps of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Through continuous refinement in preparation, today's Lai'an spring rolls consist of dry wrappers filled with various stuffings, then pan-fried or deep-fried to create long, golden-yellow strips. Common fillings include red bean paste, shepherd’s purse and pork, and plain minced pork. The taste can be described as having a thin, crispy wrapper with a soft, fragrant filling. It has now become an essential dish served during Lai'an families' New Year's Eve dinners.

　　Preparation method: 1. Making the wrapper: Place 1 kilogram of flour in a basin, add 10 grams of salt, and pour in 500 grams of cold water. Mix well until the dough comes together. Then knead the dough vigorously with both fists, folding it as you go, until it becomes smooth, fine, and no longer sticky to the bowl, and has good elasticity. Next, add another 100 grams of cold water, let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten inside the dough to relax, making it easier to work with and roll out. Continue kneading and folding until all the water is absorbed into the dough and it becomes smooth and non-sticky. Then add another 100 grams of water, let it rest again, and continue kneading and folding. Repeat this process 4–5 times until the dough reaches the desired consistency—smooth, elastic, and firm enough that you can lift the whole mass without it sticking. Let it rest briefly before rolling out the wrappers. Place a flat pan or iron plate on the stove, wipe it clean with an oil cloth, and heat until it is hot to the touch. Scoop up a handful of batter with your right hand, using your thumb and index finger to hold the batter while continuously shaking it up and down (to prevent it from falling). When spreading the wrapper, let the batter droop onto the iron plate, then rotate it outward from the center to form a round, thin wrapper about 20 centimeters in diameter. Immediately scoop up any remaining batter and continue shaking it in your hand. If there are white spots, let a bit more batter droop to cover them. Then peel the wrapper off from the bottom, flip it over, and briefly press it against the pan to set the other side. If there are any holes, patch them with a small additional piece of wrapper. Typically, about 50 wrappers can be made from one kilogram of flour.

　　2. Filling the wrappers: Fillings include red bean paste, yellow choy sum with shrimp, and yellow choy sum with shredded pork. To make the yellow choy sum with shredded pork filling, first shred the vegetables, stir-fry them in oil until wilted and softened, then add salt (adding salt early prevents excessive crispness), mix well, and add pre-stir-fried shredded pork. Pour in some clear broth, simmer until the vegetables are tender, add a bit of MSG, thicken with a cornstarch slurry to create a rich sauce, then remove from heat and let cool. When wrapping, place the filling in the center of the wrapper, roll it into a strip about 10 centimeters long, moisten the edges with water to seal, press the ends flat with your hands, and the raw spring roll is ready.

　　3. Frying: Heat oil in a deep pan until it is about 80% hot. Place the spring rolls one by one along the edge of the pan and fry until they turn golden yellow and the outer shell is crispy and hard. Remove them with a strainer spoon and serve with vinegar or Worcestershire sauce for dipping.