Thai Spring Rolls
with Plum Sauce
Dip warm spring rolls into a beautiful purple
plum sauce for a crunchy sweet-and-sour treat to tantalize the taste buds. Look
for purple plums, which are plump and give slightly when gently pressed. Peanut
oil has a naturally high smoke point, which is perfect for deep frying the
vegetable filled spring rolls.
Ginger Plum Sauce
¼ cup plum wine
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
10 tablespoons
granulated sugar
5 peeled plums, cut
into smaller pieces
1 purple plum,
unpeeled and sliced
1 ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Spring Rolls
1 (7.75-ounce)
packages dried bean thread noodles
2 tablespoons chopped white mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped
carrots
1 medium yellow onion,
chopped
1 garlic cloves,
crushed in a garlic press
½ teaspoon seasoning
salt
Pinch fresh ground
Tellicherry peppercorns
1 (16-ounce) package
egg roll wrappers
Peanut or Canola oil
1. Plum Sauce: In a 3-quart saucepan,
heat the plum wine, vinegar, sugar, plums,
ginger and salt on low until the plum pieces soften. Strain
and discard pulp.
2. Mix a little plum sauce with the cornstarch
mixtures. Use a whisk to stir the
cornstarch mixture back into the sauce and
cook until the sauce has thickened,
stirring frequently.
3. Spring Rolls: Soak noodles in water
for 30 minutes. Drain and cut into 2-inch
strands.
4. In a 10-inch frying pan, sauté mushrooms,
carrots, onion and garlic. Sprinkle
with salt and pepper. Remove from frying pan and cool in a
small bowl for 5-10
minutes.
5. On a floured breadboard, lay out each egg
roll wrapper with a corner towards
you. Place a little heap of noodles and then
add about a tablespoon of the cooled
vegetable mixture. Fold corner over vegetable
mixture then turn in sides. Roll
up, securing point with a dab of water.
6. Heat 3 inches of oil in a 2-quart saucepan. Fry rolls for a few seconds on
each
side, then drain on paper towels. Watch
carefully as they can burn easily.
7. Serve with individual bowls of plum sauce.
Hint: To grate ginger look for a special ginger grater.