I grew up calling them egg rolls, and then into my adult years started calling them spring rolls. I think somewhere in between I even called them summer rolls. I know there is a difference in the wrapping, filling, size, and whether they are fried or not, but which is for which? Does anybody know? I live in the Netherlands now and luckily the Dutch have just one name for it: Loempia. So that is what I call it nowadays.
Just a few weeks after we moved to the Netherlands it was soon Easter. My in-laws were coming to visit and not knowing what a typical Dutch Easter brunch was (after living here for 7 years I still don’t know) I decided that having égg’ rolls on the menu was a fun idea. So an idea was born, and the search for the best loempia recipe was on.
I did indeed eventually come up with the best loempia recipe. It was honestly one of the few things I knew how to cook at the time, and if you were going to have a prize recipe in your recipe index this one was sure to be it. Everyone loved it. I was proud and happy to see that friends and family enjoyed it. I think I brought it to every potluck, holiday party, and every other event we had where I needed to bring a dish. These loempias actually misled a lot of people into thinking I could cook.
This week my dear friend, Sylvia from Hackbarth Art, came over to help me make (and eat) my loempias for this blogpost and new segment, Cooking with Friends. When I sent her a text asking if she would be interested in taking part of this post it was only a matter of seconds before I got her response. That is how good these loempias are. It works like a magic spell. Make them yourself…and use the loempias to get what you want!
Recipe inspired by Joanne @ Week of Menus
P.S. Check out Sylvia’s creative artwork on Instagram: hackbarth_art
Loempia (spring roll)
A recipe enjoyed by all. This recipe makes 35-40 rolls. Don't forget to keep count of how many you eat!
Ingredients
- 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 heaping tablespoon minced ginger
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups julienned carrots (150g)
- 4 cups finely shredded cabbage (600g)
- 4 bunches vermicelli noodles (about 4 cups/200g))
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce (i use Lee Kum Kee brand)
- 1 egg, whisked
- 6 cups deep frying oil
- 1 package asian pastry wraps (40 sheets)
Directions
- Step 1 MAKE THE FILLING. Soak the vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 4- 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Press the noodles against the colander to help release all the excess water. With kitchen shears cut the noodles to about 1 inch in length. This will be helpful later during assembly. Set aside.
- Step 2 In a large pot add the garlic, ginger, and 5 tablespoons vegetable oil. Cook for a minute over medium heat.
- Step 3 Add in the carrots, cabbage, noodles and oyster sauce. Stir until well combined. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Step 4 ASSEMBLY. Place a pastry wrap on a clean surface. The points should be facing up-down-left-right, like a diamond.
- Step 5 From the bottom point (corner closest to you) go up about 2 inches. This is where you place your filling, about 1 heapful tablespoon of filling.
- Step 6 Take the bottom corner and fold up and over to cover the filling, tucking the bottom corner firmly under the filling. Then roll up until you reach the center-line of the pastry wrap.
- Step 7 Fold the left side towards the center, making sure that this left side of the wrap is firmly against the center. Do the same on the right side. Fold each side towards the center again until you ultimately achieve parallel sides.
- Step 8 Continue to finish the roll. Towards the end the top corner should be applied with egg (the glue) to help seal the roll. Lay the roll ‘seam down’ to further secure the seal.
- Step 9 COOK. To check if your oil is ready, you can stick a wooden chopstick to the bottom of the pot. If it bubbles then it is ready.
- Step 10 Place a few rolls in your deep fryer/pot. Do not over crowd, but just enough so that they still have room to move around. Since the filling is already cooked just cook until the outside is golden and crispy. They are piping hot when they come out of the cooking oil so make sure to give enough cooling time before eating,
- Step 11 Enjoy with your favorite spring roll/loempia sauce.
- Step 12 NOTE: These rolls freeze extremely well. To freeze place them apart on a tray lined with baking paper. Once frozen you can place them in storage bags. No need to defrost before cooking.