Popiah (Chaozhou Fresh Spring Rolls)

Method12 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the whole jicama (1 medium), peel away its skin completely, and grate all of the peeled flesh into a bowl.

   Uses 1 medium jicama, about 2 lb before peeling

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced 5 garlic cloves and fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.

   Fry garlic · 1 minUses 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for the jicama · 5 garlic cloves, minced

3. 3

   Step 3: Add all grated jicama and the 1 tsp salt to the garlic oil. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, leaving it a little crunchy or cooking longer for a softer result. Transfer the jicama and every bit of its released juice to a serving bowl; keep the juice to soften the wrappers.

   Stir-fry jicama · 5 minUses Grated peeled jicama · Fragrant garlic oil · 1 tsp salt, for the jicama

4. 4

   Step 4: Beat the 2 eggs. Cook them as a plain omelet in a nonstick pan until fully set with no liquid egg remaining. Let the omelet cool enough to handle, then slice it into thin strips.

   Uses 2 eggs

5. 5

   Step 5: Thinly slice the 2–3 lup cheong links and pan-fry until hot and crisp, about 3–5 minutes. Follow the actual package’s cooking instructions and continue until fully cooked; raw pork sausage must reach 160°F, and a poultry-containing sausage must reach 165°F. Set the cooked slices aside.

   Fry lup cheong · 5 minUses 2–3 lup cheong (Chinese sausage links)

6. 6

   Step 6: Warm or gently toast the 1/4 cup peanuts in a dry frying pan until fragrant and warmed through, taking care not to scorch them. Put them in a serving dish.

   Uses 1/4 cup peanuts

7. 7

   Step 7: Wash the Thai basil (1 bunch), dry it and pick the leaves from the bunch. Put the usable leaves in a serving dish.

   Uses 1 bunch Thai basil

8. 8

   Step 8: Gently warm the 1/4 cup cooked, ready-to-eat dried shrimp (1/4 cup) in a dry frying pan, then place it in a serving dish. Follow any extra preparation directions on the product before serving.

   Uses 1/4 cup cooked ready-to-eat dried shrimp

9. 9

   Step 9: Set out the full 2 tbsp hoisin and 2 tbsp Sriracha in separate dipping bowls for brushing onto the rolls.

   Uses 2 tbsp hoisin sauce · 2 tbsp Sriracha sauce

10. 10

    Step 10: Arrange the cooked jicama with its juice, omelet strips, cooked sausage, peanuts, basil leaves and warm dried shrimp on the table, along with the two sauce bowls and the package of thin rice paper. Set out a shallow dish of room-temperature water for optional extra softening. Begin assembling promptly.

    Uses Cooked jicama and reserved juice · Cooked omelet strips · Fully cooked lup cheong slices · Warm peanuts · Washed Thai basil leaves · Warm ready-to-eat dried shrimp · Hoisin and Sriracha bowls · 1 package thin rice paper wrappers, about 20 sheets

11. 11

    Step 11: For each roll, lay one rice-paper wrapper on a plate. Brush a small spoonful each of hoisin and Sriracha along its bottom third. Add a spoonful of cooked jicama with enough of its juice to soften the wrapper, then a few pieces of cooked sausage, omelet, dried shrimp, peanuts and basil. Keep the filling modest so the wrapper does not split. Roll the bottom over the filling, fold in both sides and continue rolling to close.

    Uses 1 actual rice-paper wrapper for this roll · A small spoonful hoisin for this roll · A small spoonful Sriracha for this roll · A spoonful jicama plus enough actual juice to moisten this wrapper · A few omelet strips for this roll · A few cooked sausage slices for this roll · A little of the warmed peanuts for this roll · A little warm dried shrimp for this roll

12. 12

    Step 12: If the wrapper still feels too firm, spoon a little more of the reserved jicama juice over the finished roll. For a softer wrapper on a later roll, briefly moisten that wrapper with the optional water before filling. Eat each roll fresh and repeat with the remaining supplies to appetite; some fillings, sauces or wrappers may remain. Refrigerate unused perishable fillings promptly.

    Uses Freshly assembled popiah · A little more actual jicama juice if needed · Optional water for softening a later wrapper