Pork Spring Rolls!

Based on this recipe

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce (or to taste; optional)
1/4 cup water
1 (16oz) bag coleslaw mix
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 scallions/green onions, white parts minced; green parts sliced thin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
12 (9 inch) rice paper wrappers

Combine the hoisin, soy, and chili garlic sauces and water in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the coleslaw, cilantro and scallion greens; set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add pork and 1/3 cup of the hoisin sauce mixture. (The remaining hoisin sauce will be used as a condiment for dipping.) Cook the pork until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and scallion whites and cook until fragrant. Place this pork mixture into the bowl with the coleslaw, cilantro and scallion greens. Toss to combine.

Spread a clean, damp kitchen towel on the counter. Soak a rice paper wrapper in a shallow bowl of warm water, about 10 seconds, and spread out on towel. Arrange 1/2 cup of filling on each wrapper, leaving a 2 inch border on the bottom. Fold in sides and roll up tightly like a burrito. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Serve with the remaining hoisin sauce mixture for dipping.

I followed this recipe exactly, and could not have been more pleased. 

I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand: the soy, hoison, and chili garlic sauce.  I had leftover cilantro and ginger that I wanted to finish, and I bought ground pork when it was on sale last week, anticipating using up these remaining ingredients.  (You know how much I love “pantry meals.”)

I mixed the below with water to stir into the pork and to use for dipping.

I cooked the pork,

mixed the greens,

and added them together.  This smelled so wonderful.

I had never used rice paper before, so I’ll show you what I did!  It was simple.

I added some water to a standard dinner plate, and wet a clean dish towel.  For each roll, I did the following.

I dunked the paper in the water (BOTH side) and laid it out on the towel.

I added the meat and greens to the center, in a line- note that the paper in on the diagonal.

This looks like a ton of meat, but it all rolled up nicely!  These papers are very pliable.

Oh, YUM!

Next, roll up from the bottom.

Fold in on either side.

It now looks kind of like an envelope… ya know, if the envelope was wet and dilapidated?

Now, roll up toward the point… and you, my friend, have made a spring roll!

Now, just keep going… soon you will have a cute little row of ‘em! 

Don’t they look like sleeping babies, being swaddled? 

I served them up with the remaining sauce for dippage.

These would be great for entertaining, as they make a nice presentation.  Plus, they are so easy!

Lloyd said he felt like he was “eating tacos.” 

Chinese tacos?

Only Lloyd.

Don’t you just want to lick the plate?! 

I promise I didn’t… but the temptation was there.

Lloyd and I each had 3.  The recipe said it made 12, but I stretched it to 13, which is perfect, because now we have dinner for tomorrow night!

This meal is easily customizable.  I would say these were pretty healthy- so long as you stick about 3 rolls.  You could easily substitute ground chicken or turkey, make these vegetarian, or adjust the sauce to your liking.