五香/Ngoh Hiang/ Wuxiang / Fried Chinese Meat Roll in Beancurd Skin

My mother-in-grace loves spring roll, so while I was in Singapore, I told my Dad that I should make her some 'wuxiang' or ngoh hiang. It's a variation of spring roll except the skin is made from thin bean curd sheets, with a touch of saltiness. I managed to fulfill my promise and also my craving :)

Ingredients

1 large sheet of bean curd skin

1 can water chestnut, finely diced

5 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted and finely diced

300-400g minced pork

10 medium size prawns, minced

A handful of woods ear mushroom, reconstituted and finely diced

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder

1 teaspoon five spice powder

3 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 teaspoon sesame seed oil

1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine

1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder

salt to taste

1 spring onion, finely sliced

5 tablespoon of cooking oil, heated till smoking

1 egg, separated

Oil for deep frying

Steps

1. Combine all the ingredients together, except the egg white and heated cooking oil and mixed well. Add in the heated oil when every thing is mixed well and combine it quickly, this was a trick my Chinese friend taught me to make the filling more fragrant. Leave to marinate for an hour so the flavors seep in. To test the saltiness of the filling, take a small amount and fry it and adjust the seasonings where necessary. It should not be too salty as the bean curd skin itself is salty to begin with.
   
   
   
   
   
2. My way of rolling is probably not perfect, but it works! If you have a way you prefer, you can wrap it accordingly but be sure to seal it properly. Prepare a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel to wipe down the bean curd skin for a few purpose: to clean away any impurities, extra salt that might be left and to make it more pliable for the wrapping process. Don't make it too wet or the skin will be too soft to work with. Set aside the egg white in a bowl with a brush for sealing purposes.
   
3. Unfold the bean curd skin, which is normally folded up, and take about two rectangular sections (vertically as shown in the picture) for each roll. You should be able to make about 8 rolls from one bean curd sheet. Use a pair of scissors to help you cut out the sheet and set aside, do not damp it yet.
   
   
   
4. Placing 1 cut sheet of bean curd skin, wipe the bean curd sheet once through with the damp kitchen towel.
   
   
   
5. Put about 2 heaped tablespoons of filling 1/3 of the way in the middle, shaping it somewhat in a cylinder manner. Brush some egg white along the two longer sides of the sheet.
   
   
   
6. Fold up the shorter edge over the filling, tucking in to seal in the filling so it is a firm, compact roll.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Roll it over once again, fold in the sides then brush all sides with some egg white again.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Continue rolling until you come to the end of the sheet and seal it with some egg white again and set aside.
   
   
   
9. When you are about to finished wrapping, prepare your steamer to steam these rolls first for about 15-20 minutes.
   
   
   
10. When you remove it from the steamer plate, be careful you don't tear the skins and it is common to see liquid accumulating in the plate and the skin adheres to the filling. Just set it aside on a rack to drain and cool before you deep fry it one whole roll at a time before slicing them up. At this stage, you can also freeze the rolls if you wish to deep fry it another time.
    
    
    
11. Serve as a side dish or with some fried bee hoon or mee siam:)