Making of Spring Roll (Popiah)

Mum’s home cook Popiah…

薄餅皮) is a soft, thin paper-like crepe

As a fresh spring roll, the popiah skin itself is not fried. In Singapore and Malaysia, especially in non-halal settings, will add fried pork lard.

Ingredients:
fresh-
lettuce
coriander leaves
cucumber

ready or prepared:
popiah skin
shallots (sliced thinly and fry until crispy)
peanut sugar (crushed peanut + sugar)
chilli sauce
sweet chilli sauce (chopped chilli padi + sugar + water)
sweet sauce

Need to cook:
boil or fry
    prawn
    french bean
    bean sprout (tailed and blanched)

Fry
    4 eggs -(beaten) salt, white and black pepper to taste
    bean curd (cut into fine slivers)

turnip (sengkuang) (shredded)
dried shrimp (chopped)
carrot (shredded)

For 5 to 7 people

Prepare of Popiah cooked filling:
2 heads of garlic, finely minced
6 lbs, 1 jicama, shredded, either with a sharp knife or using a box grater (the large hole grater)
1 large carrots, shredded
1 lb small shrimp,
1 lb green cabbage, finely shredded (about one small head)
1 lb firm tofu (taukwa), julienned fine
1 1/2 lbs belly pork or pork picnic, parboiled to harden well enough to julienne fine
1 lb green beans, chopped  
4 Tbsp brown bean sauce (taucheong)
salt to taste
chicken bouillon to taste
Vegetable oil for stir-frying

Method:
For the cooked filling:

1. Heat a little oil (about 1 tsp) in your wok, and fry the taukwa until mostly dry. Remove and set aside.

2. Make sure to set aside the stock you have made from boiling the shrimp shells and the pork.

3. Heat the wok with a little bit more oil (about 1-2 tsps). Add 1 tsp minced garlic, and stirfy the shredded carrots briefly (1-2 minutes). Transfer carrots to a large stock pot.

4. Repeat #3 with the green beans, then the cabbage, then the jicama, frying each vegetable briefly and individually before adding to the large stock pot.

5. Add more oil and about three times more garlic (3 tsps), then add brown bean sauce and stirfry for about 1-2 minutes being careful not to burn it. Keep your fire on medium to low heat. When it starts to smell aromatic, add the julienned pork and stirfry until almost cooked. When the pork is almost done, add the shrimp. Cook until shrimp is just done. Transfer to the large stock pot with the vegetables.

6. Cook all the vegetables and meats in the pot for about 10 minutes over medium low heat, stirring to mix all the ingredients.

7. Add taukwa to the mix. Cook the mixture for about 30 minutes, adding about 1/2 cup of the reserved shrimp and pork stock. After cooking for 30 minutes, season with salt and chicken bouillon to taste. Don’t add seasonings till the mixture has had a chance to work its magic and impart its many flavors. That way, you won’t end up overseasoning in the beginning.

8. Once you have added your salt and chicken bouillon, simmer for 5 more minutes or until the flavors are all mixed well and the vegetables are tender.

Additional choice fillings:
2 chinese sausage (lup cheong), halved and sliced thin
1 cucumber, julienned (if very seedy, remove seeds then julienne)
4 eggs, boiled and chopped
1/2-1 lb large shrimp, boiled in shell, then peeled and halved, shell reserved for stock
1 lbs peanuts, roasted, cooled and ground fine
2 heads Green leaf lettuce, leaves individually picked and washed clean
1/2 lb beansprouts, tips picked off (if very diligent), and blanched

Condiments:
Minced garlic (whatever is not used up in the filling can be used here)
Chilli sauce (made by blending 10-15 large red chillies of moderate heat level or if you can tolerate spice, add spicier chillies)
Hoisin or sweet flour sauce

Popiah skin

For the choice fillings and condiments:

1. Place each ingredient into small serving bowls (and replenish as they run out)