1/2 lb Chorizo sausage
- or any other spicy sausage
1 oz Rice sticks
6 Dried Chinese blk. mushrooms
2 c Shredded green cabbage
2 c Bean sprouts
1 c Julienned carrots
2 Green onions; minced
2 tb Dry sherry
1 tb Oyster sauce
1 tb Oriental sesame oil
1 ts Chinese chili sauce
1/2 ts Sugar
3 Garlic cloves
- finely minced
2 tb Cornstarch
2 tb Cooking oil; PLUS:
3 c Cooking oil
12 Spring roll skins
2 Eggs; beaten
Dipping sauce of your choice
20 Bibb lettuce leaves
ADVANCE PREPARATION: If the sausage is in links, slit
the casing and squeeze the meat out. Place the
sausage meat in a small frying pan or wok. Cook over
low heat until thoroughly cooked and the fat is
rendered, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Transfer to a sieve and press the meat with the back
of a spoon to eliminate all fat. If the sausage meat
is still in lumps, chop finely. Soak the rice sticks
in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut into
2-inch lengths. Soak the mushrooms in hot water until
soft, about 20 minutes. Discard the stems and shred
the caps. Combine the sausage, mushrooms, rice sticks,
cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, and green onions.
Separately combine the sherry, oyster sauce, sesame
oil, chili sauce, sugar, and garlic. Combine the
cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water and set
aside. Place a 12-inch skillet or wok over high heat.
When hot, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil; when the oil
becomes hot, add the sausage mixture. Stir-fry until
the vegetables are brightly colored, about 2 minutes,
then add the sauce. Stir-fry until the vegetables
just begin to wilt, about 1 minute more. Add a little
of the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce, then
transfer to a bowl. Cool to room temperature, and
then place in the freezer until thoroughly chilled,
about 1 hour. Separate the spring roll skins.
Position each spring roll so one of the corners is
pointing at you. Place about 1/2 cup of the filling
in the bottom third of the skin and then form the
filling into a cylinder, stretching between the side
corners. Bring the corner nearest you over the center
of the filling and then tuck the tip under the
filling. Roll the spring roll a turn. Brush the two
side corners one-third over the top of the cylinder.
Now finish rolling the spring roll into a cylinder.
Place on a small tray as you complete the rest of the
spring rolls. Store, unstacked and uncovered, in the
refrigerator. (These can be done a day ahead.)
LAST-MINUTE COOKING: Place 3 cups of cooking oil in a
12-inch skillet and heat over high heat. When the oil
reaches 370 F (bubbles will escape from the end of a
wooden spoon when placed into the oil for 10 seconds),
fry the spring rolls in 3 batches, cooking them on
both sides until light golden, about 3 minutes. Drain
on a wire rack. Heat the oil again, this time until it
reaches 400 F. Fry the spring rolls a second time in
2 batches until they are dark golden, about 1 minute.
Drain. The second frying makes the spring rolls
crispier. Serve spring rolls whole or cut in half,
with one or more dipping sauces. Guest should wrap a
spring roll in a lettuce leaf, dip it in sauce, and
enjoy. Serves: 8 to 12 as an appetizer
