Growing up in 1980s Britain, my father was keen to impress the value of Chinese culture and language on us, and how traditions and folklore were the stuff of our lives too. He even enrolled us in Chinese school, which we hated because it was held on Sundays – our only day off. We got cunning though and changed my parents’ alarm clock so the whole family would wake up too late for us to race to Chinese school. Eventually my father got exasperated and cancelled our subscription there, enrolling us in a local orchestra instead, which we much preferred.
However Chinese school was not in vain. I learnt a fascinating ancient Chinese story about how the Spring Rolls became the most popular appetizer on all Chinese restaurants menus around the world. The story goes that many centuries ago in ancient China during the Spring festival, the tea houses would prepare a Spring dish to celebrate. This Spring dish began life as a spring pancake but eventually was replaced by the spring roll to replicate the increasing status of wealth in China. Spring rolls were made to resemble gold bars, the symbol of wealth and power. Next time you order spring rolls, have a look how golden and beautiful they are, just like a gold bar. During Chinese New Year, these spring rolls are eaten as a symbol of a prosperous new year. You’ll never look at another spring roll in the same light!
Makes approx. 15–20 spring rolls
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
225g tinned bamboo shoot strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for deep frying
1 medium onion, finely sliced
400g fresh beansprouts
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon five spice powder
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 (250g) pack of spring roll pastry (8×8 cm)
2 tablespoons of flour and 4 tablespoons of cold water, mixed into paste
To make the filling, in a wok boil with enough water to cover the carrot and bamboo shoots for 5 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
In a hot wok, add the vegetable oil and stir fry the vegetables for 5 minutes. Season with the salt, sugar, five spice powder and sesame oil. When cooked drain in a colander ensuring that the filling is as dry as possible otherwise it will make the spring rolls soggy. Leave to cool.
Separate the spring roll sheets and prepare the flour water paste – it should be sticky not runny. Place the spring roll on a flat surface or plate. Turn the spring roll sheet with the corner facing you, i.e. so it makes a diamond shape. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the spring roll sheet. Roll the corner forward to the centre of the spring roll sheet. Dab some flour water mixture onto the left and right corners. Then fold over the righthand side to the centre of the spring roll and fold the lefthand side to the centre of the spring roll. Keep the spring roll tight and roll forward. Dab more flour water mixture to the corner furthest away. Roll forward and the spring roll is complete, and repeat with the remaining pastry sheets.
To cook the spring rolls, fill a wok with vegetable oil and heat until the oil is hot (see chef’s tips). When the oil is hot enough, drop the spring rolls in carefully and cook for 5 minutes, turning so the entire spring roll becomes golden like those gold bars!
Serve with Sweet Mandarin’s sweet and sour or sweet chilli dipping sauces.
To book a table at Sweet Mandarin email sweetmandarintables@gmail.com . Our opening times are Tuesday – Sunday 5-10pm.
Sweet Mandarin is a Chinese Restaurant in Manchester which serves delicious Chinese cuisine and exotic cocktails. We make our own sweet chilli sauce, bbq sauce, sweet & sour sauce which you can buy from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Ocado, Booths, Wing Yip and Chi Yip. Sweet Mandarin Chinese Restaurant and Cookery Schoolcan cater for the gluten free, dairy free diners. We are a short 15 minute walk from the Manchester Arena. We are not based in Chinatown, but based in the trendy Northern Quarter near the Arndale Centre, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Debenhams and Primark. The nearest hotels to us are the Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Apartments, Blue Rainbow Aparthotels, Light Hotel and Hatters Hostel.