Fresh Spring Rolls (Inspired by Areerat Nernnam) with Pork, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Tofu

Name: Fresh Spring Rolls (Inspired by Areerat Nernnam) with Pork, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Tofu
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: Serves 4–5 servings
Ingredients: 1 block firm tofu; 2 Chinese sausages; 1 Japanese cucumber or regular cucumber; 2 large eggs; 3 shiitake mushrooms; 14 oz pork loin (about 400 grams); Blanched bean sprouts; 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder; 1 stick cinnamon, 1 star anise, and 1/2 tablespoon other five-spice seeds; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/4 cup palm sugar; Ground black pepper, to taste; 2 teaspoons fried garlic; 3 cups pork broth (about 700 ml); 2 tablespoons tamarind paste; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce; 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced for frying; 3 –4 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with a little water; 2 green chili peppers or jalapeños, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon salt; Enough white vinegar to cover the chilies; Green onions, cilantro, braised pork with tofu and shiitake mushrooms

Boon🍭🍰🥯🥨🍛 @Boonthanit

สมุทรปราการ, ไทย

This vintage childhood dish brings back memories of a street vendor selling fresh spring rolls from a bicycle cart, complete with a horn. The vendor made delicious spring rolls topped with savory pork, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu, all drizzled with hot sauce. I had some spring roll wrappers on hand and found this tasty recipe from Areerat Nernnam, which I’ve made and shared. Thank you to the original creator! I swapped out the crab for pork, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms, and used braised pork instead of the original filling.

Boon🍭🍰🥯🥨🍛 @Boonthanit

Saved

Ingredients

1 hour

Serves 4–5 servings

1 blockfirm tofu
2Chinese sausages
1Japanese cucumber or regular cucumber
2large eggs
3shiitake mushrooms
14 ozpork loin (about 400 grams)
Blanched bean sprouts
For the sauce and braising the pork and tofu:
1 tablespoonChinese five-spice powder
1 stickcinnamon, 1 star anise, and 1/2 tablespoon other five-spice seeds
2 tablespoonslight soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoonssalt
1/4 cuppalm sugar
Ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoonsfried garlic
3 cupspork broth (about 700 ml)
2 tablespoonstamarind paste
1 teaspoonsesame oil
1 teaspoondark soy sauce
2 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced for frying
3–4 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with a little water
Pickled chili vinegar:
2green chili peppers or jalapeños, thinly sliced
1 tablespoonsalt
Enough white vinegar to cover the chilies
For serving:
Green onions, cilantro, braised pork with tofu and shiitake mushrooms

Saved

Steps

1 hour

1

Simmer the pork broth with five-spice powder, cinnamon, star anise, other five-spice seeds, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pork, tofu, Chinese sausage, and shiitake mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are cooked, remove them and slice some for the spring roll filling and reserve some for topping. Slice the pork into strips for the filling and dice some for topping. Cut the tofu into strips for the filling and reserve some for topping as well. Prepare the other fillings: slice the Chinese sausage into strips, make a thin omelet and slice it, cut the cucumber into sticks, and blanch the bean sprouts. For the pickled chili vinegar, wash and slice the chilies, toss with salt, let sit briefly, then cover with vinegar and refrigerate.
2

Fry the garlic until fragrant. Strain the spices from the broth, then simmer the broth with the fried garlic. Season with oyster sauce, sesame oil, tamarind paste, palm sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, then add the cornstarch slurry to reach the desired consistency. Season the reserved pork, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms with sugar, soy sauce, and black pepper for a savory-sweet flavor. Set aside for topping.
3

Lay out the spring roll wrappers and arrange the fillings horizontally: pork, tofu, Chinese sausage, omelet, cucumber, and bean sprouts. Roll tightly and seal the edge with the cornstarch mixture.
4

Steam the rolls briefly until the wrappers are soft. Slice to your preferred size. Serve with pickled chili vinegar, top with the reserved pork, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms, and garnish with green onions, cilantro, and a drizzle of sauce. Add a little shredded omelet if desired.
5

Ready to serve!