Golden Crispy Spring Rolls with Wood Ear Mushrooms: A Winter Treat

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theworldaroundme1.5 K10 days ago3 min read

With the weather at -2°C today, I stayed mostly indoors. As part of my routine, I usually go for a walk every Friday, but today I only managed a short stroll. The frozen grass crunched underfoot, and the ground was hard and slippery—definitely not the kind of conditions for mushrooms to sprout. I did spot a couple of mushrooms, but I’ve shown them to you before.

Luckily, I had frozen some while they were in season. It seems like the perfect time to use them! From the freezer, I pulled out some wood ears.

With whatever I could find in my fridge, I decided to make spring rolls!

here it is...

Vegetable Spring Rolls with Wood Ears 🍄

Ingredients 🍄

For the Filling:

2 cups wood ear mushrooms, cleaned, and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced bell peppers (any colour)
1/2 cup spring onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, grated
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp cooking oil
coriander or herb of your choice to garnish.

For wrapping:
12–15 spring roll wrappers

For Sealing:
2 tbsp all-purpose flour mixed with a bit of water to form a paste

For Frying:
Cooking oil

For Serving:

Sweet chilli sauce, soy dipping sauce, or peanut sauce

Instructions 🍄

Prepare the Filling 🍄

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat.
Add garlic and ginger, stir-frying until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add the carrots, wood ear mushrooms, cabbage, bell pepper and spring onions.

Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened but still crisp.

Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Mix well and cook for another minute.

Mix to meld the flavours and let cool.

Assemble the Spring Rolls 🍄

Place a spring roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing toward you (diamond shape).

Spoon about 2 tbsp of the cooled filling near the bottom corner, leaving space for folding.

Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in the sides snugly.

Roll tightly toward the top corner, sealing the edge with the flour paste.

Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Fry the Spring Rolls 🍄

Heat enough oil in a deep pan or pot to submerge the spring rolls.

Fry the rolls in batches over medium heat until golden brown and crispy (2–3 minutes per batch).

Remove and drain on a wire rack, strainer or paper towel to remove excess oil.

Serve 🍄

Arrange the spring rolls on a serving platter.

Pair with your favourite dipping sauce.

This dipping sauce is composed of: 🍄
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice (or vinegar)
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
1 small red chili, finely sliced (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
herb (oregano or coriander)

These spring rolls deliver a satisfying crunch, combining earthy wood ear mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, and savoury aromatic seasonings, all encased in a crispy golden shell and perfectly paired with a salty, sweet, spicy, and sour dip.