Shiso Shrimp and Pork Rolls (Using Flour Based Wrappers)

Do you know that there's a difference between a Chinese spring roll wrapper and a Vietnamese spring roll wrapper? Especially when describing such ingredient in English, it can be hard to tell what kind of wrapper do you actually need for the recipe.

But do not worry. Let me tell you that we are not going to use the "rice" based wrapper for this recipe. Instead, use "flour" based Chinese wrapper instead. It'll look somewhat white-colored and definitely not translucent at all. More so a sturdier wrapper for this pan-fried rolls.

Shiso shrimp and pork rolls using flour based wrappers - 

Ingredients (about 8 to 12 pieces)?

• 8 to 12 medium flour spring roll wrappers
• 300 grams medium shrimps
• 500 grams ground pork
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese rice cooking wine
• Some salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sesame oil
• 1 small chunk ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon potato starch
• 20 Japanese shiso leaves
• Some olive oil

How?

Peel and devein the shrimps then slice into medium small chunks. Mix the shrimps together with 1/2 teaspoon of Chinese rice cooking wine, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of white sesame oil. Let it sit under room temperature and marinate for about 10 minutes.

Bring out a big bowl and add in the ground pork. Use a chunk of ginger, scrape then grate the ginger. We will need about 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger in the end. Also peel and grate the garlic, for that we need about 1/4 teaspoon of grated garlic. 

Add both the grated ginger and grated garlic to the big bowl along with the marinated shrimps, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Give it a rough mix then add in 1 teaspoon of potato starch last. Mix till evenly blended this time.

Trim-off the stems for the shiso leaves. Rinse then pat dry with paper towel.

Lay down one sheet of flour spring roll wrapper. Scoop some ground pork fillings and set on the wrapper, a bit closer to our end but do save some empty space to fold in. Also try to shape the filling into a somewhat log-form. Lay down two shiso leaves next to the pork filling, towards the inner side too.

Fold in the left and the right side of the wrapper. Fold in the bottom edge of the wrapper then start rolling up into a log. Towards the end, dip the edge of the wrapper with either some water or potato starch mixed water to help sealing the end. Set the sealed side down and repeat to make all other rolls.

It is totally normal that you won't get the shiso leaves at the correct spot, I mean the green leaves will be like semi see-through beneath the wrapper on the front side. It's hard to get the look right especially it'll also depends on how much pork filling added and the size of the wrapper used too. So just play around and test it out a few times, should get better and better after a few rolls.

Have a big pan ready and drizzle 4 tablespoons of olive oil along with 1 teaspoon of white sesame oil. Switch to medium heat and wait till it gets warm. Once hot enough, transfer the rolls one by one with sealed side down.

Don't move the rolls once set to the pan. Simply sear till the bottom turns slightly browned. Then you can flip and sear the other side till slightly browned too. 

Once all ready, it's up to you if you would like to transfer the rolls to a plate lined with paper towel in order to absorb excess oil, or just transfer onto the serving plate right away.

The wrappers I got were medium large in size, so I ended up with pretty huge pan-fried rolls. If possible, do go with the medium small sized wrapper instead. That way you should be able to get around 12 rolls, and the size will be perfect to serve as a light snack or side dish.

On top of that, my recipe should give you well-seasoned rolls, so no dipping sauce is required. However, if you would like to give it more depth or just offering more flavor choices on the plate, I would say Thai sweet chili sauce will be a great option. It's not as salty compared to other type of chili sauces out there, and can bring something sweet with just a wee bit spiciness to the table. 

Extended reading:

• Pan-fried chicken and Chinese basil rice paper rolls
• Shrimp and pork wontons in vinegar and chili oil sauce

Bamboo Shoot and Chicken Stir-Fry in Ketchup and Soy Sauce Based Seasonings

If you can find super fresh bamboo shoot, that's great. However, if you are using the pre-boiled version or even cooked plus frozen version, just remember to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before stir-frying.

Bamboo shoot and chicken stir-fry in ketchup and soy sauce based seasonings - 

Ingredients?

• 2 bamboo shoots
• 200 grams chicken tenders
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 string scallion

Chicken marinade:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar

How?

Remove the tendons from the chicken tenders. Slice the chicken to thicker and wider pieces. Just try your best there, it doesn't have to be master chef quality. Use the ingredients listed under the "chicken marinade" section to massage in and marinate the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes.

Peel the garlic. Scrape-off the skin for a chunk of ginger. Grate these two till you get about 1/4 teaspoon of grated garlic and 1/8 teaspoon of grated ginger. Mix both of that together with other ingredients listed under the "sauce" section. Set aside for later use.

Peel and trim the bamboo shoots if you're using the fresh kind. Slice into long and wider pieces, also about 1 to 1.5 mm in thickness. Sometimes you can get a nice triangular shaped bamboo shoot slices, but not much luck there for my bunch.

If using pre-boiled version, slice the bamboo shoot, try to squeeze out and pat dry any liquid remain.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and switch to medium heat. Wait till warm then add in the chicken. Sear till both sides turn slightly golden brown. Scoop out first.

Still using the same pan, add more oil if it appears too dry. Use medium high heat this time and add in the bamboo shoot slices. Sear till some sides turn lightly browned.

Add back the chicken and give it a quick mix. Pour in pre-mixed sauce. Give it a few tosses till combined. Continue to cook till slightly reduced.

Plate the stir-fry ingredients. Chop or use a scissor to get some scallion bits as garnish on top.

If you're using fresh bamboo shoot then you'll get a much crunchier bite in the end. However, for pre-boiled version, if you really get the liquid out before cooking then you can still get a nice sear later on. That means you can also end with somewhat crunchy bite as a result.

Don't get disappointed if you were left with slightly soggy or soft bamboo shoot slices though. I think the sweet and savory seasonings can do a good job compensating any texture lost in the end. Overall it'll still be a flavorful dish, and goes really well with some steamed rice alongside. 

 

Extended reading:

• Bamboo shoot and pork stir-fry in spicy fermented bean paste seasoning 豆瓣竹筍炒松阪豬
• Summer vegetable curry