Veg Spring Rolls
Crisp, golden spring rolls stuffed with crunchy stir-fried cabbage, carrot and capsicum, made with a simple maida wrapper batter.
Veg spring rolls are the crunchy, golden starter that disappears first at any party. A thin wrapper is filled with quickly stir-fried, well-seasoned vegetables, rolled tight and deep fried until it shatters when you bite it. They work as a snack with tea, a starter before noodles and fried rice, or a lunchbox treat. What makes them work is a dry filling: vegetables cooked on high heat and cooled completely, so the wrapper stays crisp and never turns soggy or bursts in the oil. This version uses a simple homemade maida wrapper that you can cook on a tawa.
Method
- Whisk maida, cornflour and salt with water into a smooth, thin batter like dosa batter. Rest it for 10 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick tawa on low heat and grease very lightly. Spread a ladle of batter thinly in a circle, cook only one side for 30 to 40 seconds until it just sets and lifts at the edges. Do not flip. Stack the wrappers on a plate under a cloth.
- For the filling, heat oil in a wok on high heat. Fry garlic and ginger for 15 seconds, then add the spring onion whites.
- Add cabbage, carrot and capsicum and toss on high heat for 2 minutes. The vegetables should stay crunchy.
- Add soy sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce, pepper and salt, toss for 30 seconds, then mix in noodles and spring onion greens. Spread on a plate and cool completely.
- Place 2 tbsp filling near the edge of the cooked side of a wrapper. Fold in the sides, roll tightly and seal the end with the maida paste.
- Heat oil for deep frying on medium heat. Fry 3 to 4 rolls at a time for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until evenly golden and crisp.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot, cut in half.
Chef's tips
- Cool the filling fully; warm filling makes steam and soft rolls.
- Squeeze or press out any water from the cabbage before filling.
- Keep the oil at medium heat; if too hot the wrapper browns before it crisps, if too cool it soaks oil.
- Roll tightly and seal well so the rolls do not open while frying.
What to serve it with
Serve hot with schezwan sauce, sweet chilli sauce or tomato ketchup.
Storage
Fill and roll the spring rolls up to a day ahead and refrigerate on a tray; fry just before serving. Re-crisp leftover fried rolls in a hot oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Variations
- Add crumbled paneer and a little sweet corn to the filling.
- Use readymade spring roll sheets instead of making wrappers.
- Shallow fry or bake brushed with oil at 200 C for 20 minutes for a lighter version.
Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.
Recipe questions
Why are my spring rolls soggy?
The filling was warm or wet, or the oil was too cool. Cook the vegetables on high heat, cool them completely, drain any liquid, and fry at steady medium heat until deep golden.
How do I stop spring rolls from bursting in oil?
Roll tightly without air pockets and seal the end well with a thick maida paste. Do not overfill, and lower them gently into medium-hot oil.
Can I make spring roll wrappers at home?
Yes. A thin batter of maida, cornflour and water, cooked on one side only on a lightly greased tawa, gives soft pliable sheets that fry crisp.
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