The Original Spring Roll 春餅/潤餅/薄餅

Ingredients

• 450 g Pork belly
• 600 g Cabbage ((shredded))
• 300 g Snow peas ((shredded))
• 400 g Carrots ((shredded))
• 140 g Pressed tofu
• 3 stalks Chinese leeks
• 3 tbsp Abalone sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ¼ tsp White pepper powder
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Oil
• 1 pkg Spring roll wrappers ((I used 8.5” wrappers))
• 1 cup Seaweed flakes ((ready-to-eat))
• ½ cup Peanut candy ((ground) or peanuts)
• 1 tbsp Tabasco ( or your favorite chili sauce or hoisin sauce)
• 1 cup Light soy sauce
• 1 cup Dark soy sauce
• ¼ cup Shaoxing wine
• 2 cup Broth (or water)
• 40 g Rock sugar (cane) ((or 4 tbsp sugar))
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 Star anise
• 6 Cloves
• 4 Bay leaves
• 1 slice Ginger
• 1 Cinnamon stick

Steps

1. 1

   In a pot, combine 1 c light soy sauce, 1 c dark soy sauce, ¼ c Shaoxing wine, 2 c water or broth, 40 g rock sugar (or 4 tbsp sugar), 2 tsp salt, 2 star anise, 6 cloves, 4 bay leaves, 1 slice of ginger and 1 cinnamon stick.

2. 2

   Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Brown the pork belly then put it in with the braising liquid

4. 4

   If the pork belly is not completely covered, turn the pork belly every 5 minutes for even cooking. Braise the pork belly for 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Remove pork belly and let it cool before slicing.

6. 6

   Wash and pat dry pork belly with a paper towel.

7. 7

   If you will be braising the pork belly, use the ingredients and instructions above. If you will not be braising, then fill a pot with water, enough to cover the pork belly, and bring the water to a boil.

8. 8

   Put the pork belly into the boiling water for 3 minutes, remove from water and let cool

9. 9

   Break off the ends of the snow peas and pull the side fibers off as well.

10. 10

    Wash and cut the cabbage, carrots, pressed tofu, snow peas into thin shreds. You can use a grater for the carrots. Set aside

11. 11

    Wash and cut the Chinese leeks to 5 cm pieces

12. 12

    After the pork has cooled, cut it into thin shreds

13. 13

    If you didn’t braise the pork, marinade it with 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp light soy sauce; mix well and set aside. If you did braise then there’s no need to marinate

14. 14

    Heat your wok to high (or medium-high if high heat is not suitable)

15. 15

    Add 2 tbsp of oil into wok

16. 16

    Add shredded pork into the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes if not braised and 1 minute if braised

17. 17

    Heat wok or fry pan to high (or medium-high if high heat is not suitable)

18. 18

    Add 2 tbsp oil to the wok

19. 19

    Add marinated pork. Let the pork sit in the wok for 30 seconds and then flip it over and let it sit for another 30 seconds then start stir frying until cooked and remove from heat

20. 20

    Add pressed tofu into the wok. Stir-fry for 1 minute, and move everything to one side of the wok

21. 21

    Add carrots and stir fry with the other ingredients. Then add leeks and stir fry until the carrots start to soften. Turn down heat and remove everything from the wok

22. 22

    Add 2 tbsp of oil to the wok

23. 23

    Add cabbage to the wok and stir-fry

24. 24

    Once the cabbage begins to soften and shrink, add the other ingredients back into the wok.

25. 25

    Add 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 3 tbsp abalone sauce, and 1 ½ tsp salt. Stir-fry until everything is well mixed.

26. 26

    Add snow peas. Stir-fry for another 4 minutes or until everything is cooked and softened

27. 27

    Transfer onto a serving plate

28. 28

    Serve with spring roll wrappers (they are pre-cooked and ready to eat), seaweed flakes, ground peanut candy and tobacco sauce (any chili sauce) or hoisin sauce

29. 29

    To wrap: seaweed goes down first to prevent moisture from getting to the skin, then ground peanut candy, then the filling and sauce. Fold the bottom upwards first then the two sides and the top can be left open or folded down