Spring Rolls, a flavourful appetiser

Introduction

Spring rolls, Pakistani style provide a twist on the traditional Chinese Spring Rolls. Spring rolls in Pakistan are a popular snack and enjoyed for several reasons. The versatility of the filling is key. There is nothing really you can’t put in the rolls. They can be filled with anything from vegetables, meat, cheese or noodles. The filling is typically seasoned with classic South Asian spices such as cumin, coriander, and ginger, creating that desi taste that Pakistani cuisine is known for.

The outer layer of the rolls are made from thin pastry sheets or spring roll wrappers, which become crispy and golden when deep-fried. The contrast between the crunchy exterior and the soft filling adds to the overall enjoyment of the dish.

This Pakistani starter is often served as a starter or snack at social gatherings and celebrations. They have become a staple food item which is prepared in advance and stashed away in the freezer. Therefore you are never caught out when unexpected guests arrive, you can whip out the spring rolls and fry on demand.

How to serve Spring Rolls

This Pakistani starter is always served with chutney or a sauce, examples include spicy chilli tomato chutney, tangy tamarind chutney, mint yoghurt chutney or creamy garlic sauce. The chutneys really enhance the enjoyment of eating spring rolls.

My spring rolls

This appetiser always goes down so well in our house or with our guests. I personally find spring rolls easier to fill than samosas . However, the same filling will work just as well in a samosa. This filling is extremely versatile. I use the same filling I use in my keema pastries, so if you fancy a non fried starter, try out my pastries.

My daughter is a meat lover (like her daddy) and she insists that all spring rolls and samosas should only have mince meat in them! No peas, no potatoes, just meat. I have managed to sneak in some spring onions for crunch, which I absolutely love. The spring onions are really the secret ingredient in the recipe. Don’t miss them out when you make them.

I have used lamb mince in my recipe below, however you can also chicken mince. My daughter loves the thin crispy pastry (she won’t eat hand made pastry!) This starter is her absolute favourite. She doesn’t need any chutney, she will happily eat them as they are. Her Nano makes them especially for her. Lucky girl I say.

I am not so precise in my folding and filling of the spring rolls, but as long as they are sealed well, it doesn’t really matter if they are not perfectly matched to the rest of the batch. You do need to be careful not to overfill, as this could mean they burst when fried. However you also do want enough filling that when you bite into them you can taste the filling and not just the pastry. I find just under two tablespoons works very well on larger size spring rolls pastry sheets.

Ramadan Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are easy to prepare and can be made in advance. This is convenient during Ramadan when individuals may have limited time for meal preparation due to fasting and other religious activities. I tend to prepare my spring rolls before Ramadan begins. I stock up the freezer with a batch of these rolls, and always make sure I have some ready when I know I am hosting an iftar (meal to break the fast).

You can complete the first five steps of the recipe and then freeze them until you the day you want to cook them. Fry them from frozen. However do allow more time for them cook fully, around 10 minutes, until they are golden brown. The rolls therefore make an ideal starter to prepare in advance. Alternatively, if you want to avoid deep frying, you can put the spring rolls in the air fryer. Use a pastry brush to light coat them in oil and next air fry them for around 10 minutes, until they are browned.

Tips

Make sure the oil is piping hot in your wok before you to start to fry anything. This makes sure the spring rolls stay crispy and don’t become soggy with the oil. Just before you add the spring rolls, turn the heat down slightly. This ensures that the meat fixture has time to cook properly (especially when you are cooking from frozen) and the the pastry doesn’t burn. It became a fast family shock and horror story when we heard that someone in the family (who I shall not name, but who is not me!) served her guests spring rolls that despite being deep fried, were still frozen in the middle. Rather an embarrassment for all really! However the story definitely stuck with me.

Don’t miss out adding the spring rolls to your keema mixture. The crunch from the spring rolls really adds to the enjoyment of this starter. Honestly, it’s the key ingredient!

See my video on Instagram or TikTok to see how to make this dish!

Ingredients

Serves: 6, 20 spring rolls

Time: 45 minutes preparation, 10-15 minutes of frying

• 1/2 tablespoon of rapeseed oil
• 500 grams of lamb mince meat
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 3 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 5 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (around 40 grams)
• 6 spring onions finely chopped (around 80 grams)
• 1 onion finely chopped (do not use a food processor)
• Defrosted spring roll pastry sheets- TYJ are my favourite to use
• 1 tablespoon of atta/flour mixed with water into a paste.

Method

Method for the mince filling

1. Heat the oil, turn the heat to low then add the cumin seeds, green chillies, garlic and ginger. You do not want to brown the garlic ginger, to do not over fry.

2. Add the lamb mince, and turn the heat to a medium heat. Add the salt, red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala and cook for 15 minutes. Make sure you use the back of the spoon to break up the lamb mince and clumps do not form.

3. Let the lamb mince cool down. Once cooled, add the fresh coriander, spring onions, onion, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala and 1 teaspoon of coriander powder. Mix it all through. You can taste the mixture at this point to see if you are happy with the spices, salt etc. Add to your taste

Method for filling the pastry

4. Get your pastry out of the wrapper, carefully peel a sheet at a time. Lay out flat on a shopping board and fill the corner with just under two tablespoons of the mince meat filling. Then roll the pastry over the filling and wrap into a tight tube shape as you go.

5. When you have rolled over half way of the sheet , fold the corners into the centre of the roll and keep rolling until you have a small triangle of the pastry sheet left exposed. Apply the atta paste to the corner and fold over to seal the spring roll in place. Repeat with another sheet of pastry until all your filling has been used up.

6. You can fry immediately or pop the spring rolls into freezer bags for the freezer. If you want to eat them immediately, you will need to deep fry them. Heat oil in a wok until it’s piping hot, then fry on each side until the spring rolls are golden brown. Allow them to drain off on a plate cover with kitchen paper. Then serve with your favourite chutney!