To fry or not to fry?

I bought a deep fat fryer a few years ago because I wanted to cook Deep Fried Brie – it’s a favourite of the Chief Taster 😉  After about two uses it took up residence somewhere deep in my shed. Anything that needs to be deep fried is now baked. Well except for the brie – experiments have proven that it ‘explodes’ in the oven and it is now a dish to be enjoyed only when we’re out 🙂 

Last night we had a ‘Taste of Asia’ class with dishes from China, India and Thailand.  All the dishes were very well received including the baked spring rolls with hoisin sauce.

Here’s all you need to do to make  a healthier version of take away spring rolls:

Spring Rolls

  What you need:

• Selection of vegetables such as:
  • 1 carrot, finely julienned
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • Tin of Chinese mushrooms
  • 1/2 packet Beansprouts
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 10 Spring Roll Wrappers
• 1 egg, beaten
• Dipping Sauce:
  • 3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Nam Pla (fish sauce)
  • 1 tbsp. cold water
  • 1 chilli, finely chopped

What you do:

• Heat a tbsp of sunflower oil in a wok.
• Add the vegetables and stir fry  for 2-3 mins
• Add the soy and oyster sauces, cook for another minute then set aside to cool.
• Place spring roll wrapper on chopping board. Place a small pile of vegetables, in lower corner of wrapper – Fold bottom over, then bring in the two sides and roll over to enclose the filling – like an envelope (It gets easier!)
• Seal the end of the pastry by brushing with the beaten egg.
• Then brush each roll with egg and bake in hot oven (200 C Fan) for 10 mins until crispy
• To make dipping sauce – mix hoisin sauce, fish sauce, water and chillies in a bowl.

You could also add shredded duck or pork if you’d like. I was pleasantly surprised that the Chief Taster polished off the veggie ones 🙂

Happy Cooking !

If you’d like to attend one of my cookery classes in Tullamore please let me know. Next week is a ‘Taste of the Americas’