Spring roll

Spring rollsare rolledappetizersordim sumcommonly found inChinese,VietnameseandSoutheast Asiancuisines. The kind of wrapper, fillings, and cooking technique used, as well as the name, vary considerably depending on the region's culture, though they are generally filled with vegetables.
Spring rolls are aseasonal foodconsumed during the spring, and started as a pancake filled with the new season's spring vegetables, a welcome change from the preserved foods of the long winter months.InChinese cuisine, spring rolls are savoury rolls withcabbageand other vegetable fillings inside a thinly wrapped cylindrical pastry. They are usually eaten during theSpring Festivalin mainland China, hence the name. Meat varieties, particularly pork, are also popular. Fried spring rolls are generally small and crisp. They can be sweet or savoury; the former often with red bean paste filling, and the latter are typically prepared with vegetables. They are fully wrapped before beingpan-friedordeep-fried.
Non-fried spring rolls are typically bigger and more savoury. Unlike fried spring rolls, non-fried ones are typically made by filling the wrapping with pre-cooked ingredients. Traditionally, they are a festive food eaten during theCold Food Day festivaland theTomb Sweeping Day festivalin spring to remember and pay respect toancestors. TheHakkapopulation sometimes also eats spring rolls on the third day of the third month of thelunar calendar(三月三 sān yuè sān). The wrappings can be a flour-based mix orbatter.
Spring roll is a fried dish usually available as adim sum.They typically contain minced pork, shredded carrot, bean sprouts and other vegetables served withdipping sauce.
InTaiwan, the most commonly eaten non-fried spring rolls arepopiah, calledrùn bǐng(潤餅) inMandarinorpo̍h-piáⁿ(薄餅) in Hokkien. In northern Taiwan, the ingredients are generally flavoured withherbs,stir-fried, and sometimes topped with a finely ground peanut powder before being wrapped. In southern Taiwan, the ingredients are generally boiled or blanched in plain water. Sometimescasteror super fine sugar is added along with the peanut powder before all the ingredients are wrapped.
In Japan, spring rolls are known asharumaki(春巻き) and are often served withkarashimustard or soy sauce.
Lumpiais the name for spring rolls inIndonesiaand thePhilippines, which was derived from Southern Chinese spring rolls. The namelumpiaderives fromHokkienlunpia(Chinese:潤餅;pinyin:rùnbǐng;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:jūn-piáⁿ, lūn-piáⁿ) and was introduced in the Philippine islands during the 17th century.It is a savoury snack made of thincrêpepastry skin enveloping a mixture of savoury fillings, consists of chopped vegetables; carrots, cabbages, green beans, bamboo shoots, banana heart and leeks, or sometimes also minced meat; chicken, shrimp, pork or beef.It is often served as anappetizerorsnack, and might be serveddeep friedor fresh (unfried). In bothMalaysia,SingaporeandThailand, it is calledpopiahsimilar to in Taiwan, while inMyanmar, it is referred askawpyan(ကော်ပြန့်).
The Cambodian fried spring rolls are calledchai yor(Khmer:ចៃយ៉) ornaem chien(ណែមចៀន). Despite originating in theChinese Cambodiancommunity, nowadays fried spring rolls have spread throughout the country. They are different from Chinese spring rolls with their filling often not being cooked before frying, making Cambodian spring rolls lighter. In addition to that,fish sauceis usually used in the filling, instead ofoysterorsoy sauce, and Cambodian spring rolls, if not reheated, are fried only once.
The fried version with minced pork or chicken is called imperial rolls orchả giò(southern Vietnam),nem cuốn,chả cuốnorNem rán(northern Vietnam). They are often called "egg rolls" and "spring rolls" in Western countries, which is a misnomer. Central Vietnam has its own version of a fried roll called "ram". Ram is always made from whole shell-on shrimp or chopped de-shelled shrimp and some green onions, wrapped inrice paperand deep fried. Like most speciality food items from central Vietnam, ram is not widely available in Vietnamese restaurants overseas.
A Vietnamese imperial roll is different from a Chinese spring roll in that it is typically smaller and contains ground or chopped meats/seafood such as pork, crab, shrimp, chicken,taroorcassava,glass noodles, wood-ear fungi or oyster mushrooms, and shredded carrots. Rice paper is traditionally used as wrappers. However, several Vietnamese restaurants in Western countries may use egg spring roll wrappers due to the unavailability of rice paper or ease of use.
Rice paper rolls or summer rolls are a Vietnamese delicacy known as "gỏi cuốn". Depending on the region, salad rolls were made differently. Some vegetarian families make vegetarian rice paper rolls rather than meat rice paper rolls.However, the typical ingredients include slivers of cooked pork (most oftenchapork sausages), shrimp, sometimes chicken or tofu, fresh herbs like basil or cilantro, lettuce, cucumbers, sometimes fresh garlic, chives, rice vermicelli, all wrapped in moistened rice paper. A typical "gỏi cuốn" may only contain boiled pork, boiled rice noodles, cucumber, carrot and herbs. Fresh Vietnamese rice paper rolls can be made at home or found at Vietnamese restaurantsand some grocery stores. They are served at room temperature with dipping sauce.Nước chấm,tươngxào, or ahoisinpeanut sauce are all common dipping sauces. A typical hoisin dipping sauce includes chilli, hoisin sauce, peanut butter and sugar. A standard "nước mắm pha" (nước chấm) dipping sauce is composed of fish sauce, lime, garlic, sugar, and chillies or simply fish sauce, sugar and vinegar.
In Australia, a diverse range of authenticAsian cuisineis available due to immigration,multiculturalism, and the abundant fresh local produce. Bothdim simsandChiko Rollswere inspired by Chinese spring rolls.
Small spring rolls that have either a vegetable filling, or a meat filling are a popular snack sold in many takeaway shops in Australia. Frozen spring rolls can also be purchased in supermarkets, to cook at home.
Australians also have their own version of a spring roll that can be found in many fish and chip shops in Australia and bought from a supermarket, which is theChiko Roll. Rather than using pastry with a rolling technique, they have a more doughy texture.
In Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, deep-fried spring rolls are calledFrühlingsrolle, while the Vietnamese salad rolls are calledSommerrolle("summer roll"). The French call themnemfor the fried ones androuleaux de printempsfor the others, whereas in Poland, they are known assajgonki, named afterSaigon, the city from which many of the Vietnamese immigrants in Poland originated.
In theNetherlandsandBelgium, spring rolls are known asloempiaand are deep-fried or sometimes baked. They are thought to have been introduced by immigrants (including Chinese) from Indonesia, a former colony of the Netherlands. Loempias are filled withbean sprouts, choppedomelette, and sliced chicken or crab. It's also getting more common for loempias to appear with sweet and spicy sauces.
In the United Kingdom spring rolls used to be, and sometimes still are, known aspancake rolls, though these tend to be somewhat larger than those described as spring rolls.
In theNordic countries, they are known asvårrullar/er(Swedish/Norwegian),forårsruller(Danish), orkevätkääryle(Finnish).
Madisonhas a hyper-local variety of spring roll unique to the city. In Madison, spring rolls are often served in an extra large format weighing between 1-1.5 lbs.These spring rolls, originally created by a Thai immigrant in 2006,are stuffed with cabbage, cilantro, iceberg lettuce, jalapenos, avocado, cucumbers and rice noodles.They can be found at numerous restaurants and food stalls in the city.
In Brazil, spring rolls are called eitherrolinhos-primavera(IPA:[ʁoˈlĩɲuspɾimɐˈvɛɾɐ]), which is an approximate free translation from English, or as it is called in Japanese restaurants and among people who are used to the plate by the way it came to Brazil fromJapanese immigrants, "spring roll"(春巻き,harumaki)(IPA:[haɾɯmaki]). They can be found mostly in Chinese restaurants, usually served with amolho agridoce(sweet and soursauce) to dip, usually bright red and hot, made with ketchup, vinegar, sugar and sometimes spices such asstar anise, which accompanies some other kinds of dishes, and can include onion andsweet pepper. Some Japanese restaurants also serve spring rolls in Brazil, but generally plain or with soy sauce to dip (molho agridoceis also available in some). They are also found inbuffet-like fast food restaurants, and can be called either by the Japanese or Brazilian Portuguese name, but most often the latter.
In Chile, spring rolls are calledarrollado primavera, and supermarkets, street vendors and Chinese restaurants sell them. (However, in other countries, "arrollado primavera" refers to a savoury pinwheel-type roll made with thin sponge cake and should not be confused with the Chilean version.)
InCosta Rica, spring rolls are called in Spanishrollito de primavera("little spring roll"), but are popularly known as "Taco Chino" and are offered in almost all Chinese restaurants as an entree or appetizer.
In Mexico, spring rolls are calledrollos primavera(which translates directly to "spring rolls") and are sold in many Chinese restaurants and fast-food establishments accompanied with sweet and sour or soy sauces. On the northwest border with the US, especially inMexicali, Baja California, the spring rolls are known aschunkun; this name could be related to the Korean chungwon (춘권). They are deep-fried and usually served with ketchup topped with a dot of hot mustard as a dipping sauce.
InArgentinaandUruguay, spring rolls are commonly known asempanaditas chinas(Chinese turnover) and alsoarrolladitos primavera(which translates directly to "spring rolls"), and supermarkets and Chinese restaurants sell them. They are a common treat carried by catering services and are usually served with a small bowl ofsweet and sour sauceto dip them in.
InVenezuela, spring rolls are calledlumpiaas in thePhilippinesandIndonesia. Many Chinese restaurants sell them, and they are usually served withsweet and sourorsoy sauce.