Light Bites Recipes - Five-spice Steamed Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz minced (ground) pork

• 150g/5oz fresh prawns (shrimp), peeled and finely chopped

• 115g/4oz water chestnuts, finely chopped

• 15ml/1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp sour plum sauce

• 7.5ml/1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

• 10ml/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

• 5ml/1 tsp glutinous rice flour or corn flour (cornstarch)

• 1 egg, lightly beaten          

• 4 fresh tofu sheets or rice-paper roll wrappers, 18-20cm/7-8in square, soaked in warm water

• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• chili oil, for drizzling

• soy sauce mixed with chopped

• chilies, to serve

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Put the minced pork. chopped prawns and water chestnuts in a bowl. Add the soy sauces, sour plum sauce and sesame a and mix well. Stir in the five-spice powder, glutinous rice flour or corn flour; and egg. Mix well.

2. Lay the tofu sheets on a flat surface and divide the minced pork mixture between them. placing spoonfuls towards the edge nearest you.

3. Pull the nearest edge up over the filling, tuck in the sides and roll into a log. just like a spring roll. Moister the last edge with a little water to seal the roll. 

4. Fill a wok one-third of the way up with water and place a bamboo steamer into it.

5. Heat the water and place the tofu rolls in the steamer. Cover and steam for 15 minutes. Remove the steamed rolls with tongs and place them on a clean dishtowel.

6. Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a wok. Fry the steamed rolls in batches until crisp and golden. Drain them on kitchen paper and serve whole or sliced into portions.

7. Drizzle with chili oil and serve with a bowl of soy sauce mixed with chopped chilies for dipping.

Note: A great favorite at the hawker stalls in Singapore, these deep-fried steamed rolls are delicious with a dipping sauce.