Recipe: Curried Chicken Spring Rolls

Curried Chicken Spring Rolls

Chicken and marinade:
1/2 pound chicken, ground
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon coconut milk
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 cup cellophane noodles
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tbsp water
1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil

Stir fry sauce for the chicken:
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons cider vinegar, divided

Stir fry sauce for the vegetables:
5 mild green chilies, halved
2 teaspoons ginger root, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons peanut oil

Vegetables:
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced napa cabbage
3/4 cup grated carrots

To assemble:
16 spring roll wrappers
cilantro sprigs
1 egg yolk, beaten

Dipping sauce:
2 yellow wax chilies, minced
2 jalapeno chilies, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
3/4 cup pickled ginger juice or: unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
salt to taste
1 cilantro, bunch, minced

Marinate chicken for 1 or 2 days in bag with 1 Tbsp soy sauce, coconut milk, white vinegar, and 3/4 tsp curry powder.

Soften cellophane noodles in warm water and cut into 2-inch lengths; set aside.

Dissolve cornstarch in 1 Tbsp water; set aside

Heat 1 to 2 Tbsp oil in wok and stir fry chicken until mostly white. Remove, set aside, and then clean wok.

Combine salt, sugar, remaining soy sauce and cider vinegar. Place in wok with chicken.

Heat through, add cornstarch-water mixture, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until glossy. Spread on large plate and cool in refrigerator.

Combine chilies, ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon curry powder.

Heat 3 Tbsp oil and cook chili mixture 1 to 2 minutes. Should foam without browning.

Add celery then cabbage. When translucent, add carrots and noodles.

Combine chicken and noodle mixtures. Use 2 Tbsp filling per spring wrapper. Tuck in ends and include sprig of cilantro in last turn (to show through when fried). Seal with egg yolk.

Deep fry about 3 minutes at 350 degrees and drain.

To make dipping sauce:
Blend chilies and garlic until pureed. Add ginger juice and oil until blended. Season with salt. Add cilantro just before serving. (If serving right away, cilantro may be pureed with chilies.)

Servings: 4; makes: 16 pieces