Light Bites Recipes - Popiah (Spring Roll) Recipe

Ingredients

• 45ml/3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 225g/8oz firm tofu, rinsed, drained and diced

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 4 rashers (strips) streaky (fatty) bacon, finely sliced

• 45ml/3 tbsp fermented soy beans, mashed

• 450gl/1lb fresh prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined

• 225g/8oz jicama (sweet turnip), peeled and shredded

• 450g/1lb bamboo shoots, rinsed and grated

• 15ml/1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 10m/2 tsp sugar

• 4-6 fresh red chilies, seeded and pounded

• 6-8 garlic cloves, crushed

• kecap manis

• 12 cos or romaine lettuce leaves

• 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely shredded

• 225g/8oz/1 cup bean sprouts

• 2 Chinese sausages, fried and sliced

• 225g/8oz cooked prawns (shrimp), peeled

• 225g/8oz cooked crab meat

• 1 omelet, sliced into thin ribbons fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped

• 12 popiah wraps or Mexican corn tortillas

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan. Fry the tofu until golden brown. Remove from the oil and pat dry on kitchen paper.

2. Fry the garlic and bacon in the oil until they begin to color. Stir in the fermented soy beans and fresh prawns.

3. Add the jicama, bamboo shoots, soy sauce and sugar. Fry over a high heat to reduce the liquid. Toss in the fried tofu and cook the mixture gently until almost dry.

4. Transfer to a serving dish. Put the remaining ingredients in separate bowls on the table. Place the wraps on a serving plate.

5. To serve, let everyone help themselves to a wrap. Smear the wrap with the chili and garlic pastes, followed by the kecap manis, a lettuce leaf, a layer or cucumber and bean sprouts, and a spoonful of the cooked filling.

6. Add Chinese sausage, prawns and crab meat. Place a few strips of omelet on top with a sprinkling of coriander, then fold the edge of the wrap over the filling, tuck in the ends and roll it up.