Korean Spring Rolls
lb.
ground chicken
1 cup
finely Minced Carrot
1 cup
finely minced white onion
1 cup
finely minced celery
cup sesame
seed oil
cup soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package
Spring Roll wrappers
2 egg yolks
4 cups oil
for frying
Lettuce-Herb Wrappers
1 head
Boston Bibb Lettuce
1 bunch
fresh basil
1 bunch
fresh mint
1 bunch
fresh cilantro
Garlic Chili Sauce
2
tablespoons oil
2
tablespoons finely minced garlic
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon
+ 1 teaspoon salt
1 quart apple
cider vinegar
2
tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1
tablespoons cayenne pepper
Start by
making the Garlic Chili Sauce as this needs to simmer for almost one hour.
Saut minced garlic in the oil until it is fully cooked. Add remaining
ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then allow the sauce to simmer
until it has reduced to syrup. Test your sauce by streaking a spoonful on a
cold plate. It should be sticky, not runny. Cool to room temp for serving.
Begin the
Spring Roll filling by mincing all vegetables. Heat sesame oil in a large
skillet on high heat. Add ground chicken, minced carrots, onion and celery and one
teaspoon salt. Saut until chicken is fully cooked. Add soy sauce and cook one
minute more. Remove from pan and spread on a baking sheet. Allow this mixture
to cool fully in the refrigerator. Be sure to take a taste and adjust with salt
and pepper as needed.
While you
are waiting for the mixture to cool, you can build the Lettuce-Herb Wrappers. Pick
and rinse your bibb lettuce leaves. If you have purchased hydro-bibb at your
local grocer this will be an easy job. Building your wrapper is merely layering
one leaf of lettuce with one large basil leaf, one mint leaf and one sprig of
cilantro. The lettuce leaf is the largest and will hold all other herbs in
place as you wrap this around your finished spring roll.
Now return
to your filling. If it is cooled it is time to start wrapping – the really fun
part – and easy enough for the kids or your guests to help with. Remove the
spring roll wrappers, which you can purchase from your grocery store and cover
with a damp towel to avoid drying out. Beat your egg yolks in a small bowl and
set to the side. Also, set up a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You
are now ready to roll.
With one
spring roll wrapper placed in diamond-orientation in front of you, scoop about
one tablespoon of the filling into the middle and spread into a line one inch from
the left and right corners. Now, fold the bottom corner up one inch from the
top corner; fold both the left and right corners into the center so they
overlap by an inch. Brush a little egg yolk on the top flap to seal the roll as
you fold it over like a round envelope. You should now have a perfect little spring
roll!
After all
your rolls are finished, heat your oil to 350 degrees in a deep pan. Your oil
depth should be no less than three inches as you will be deep frying your
spring rolls. Fry in batches being sure not to overcrowd your oil. Fry for two
to three minutes or until golden brown.
Now enjoy
your creation. Be sure to instruct guests to wrap their Korean Spring Roll in
the Lettuce-Herb Wrapper before dipping into the spicy Garlic Chili Sauce – it
makes for a truly original experience.