Harumaki (Japanese Spring Rolls)

Steps

1. Gather all the ingredients. Soak 4 dried shiitake mushrooms in ¼ cup water to rehydrate, about 15 minutes. Once the shiitake are tender and hydrated, squeeze out their liquid. Reserve the soaking liquid, now shiitake dashi, to use later.

2. Meanwhile, cut 4 shrimp and 2 chicken tenders into small pieces. In a medium bowl, mix the ingredients for the marinade: 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sake, and 2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch. Add the shrimp, the chicken, and ¼ lb ground pork to the bowl and mix well. Set aside to marinate.

3. Cook 1.5 oz dried glass/cellophane noodles (harusame) in boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Drain well and cut into 1-inch lengths.

4. Cut ½ boiled bamboo shoot, 1 knob ginger, the rehydrated shiitake, the white part of 1 Tokyo negi (long green onion), 2 stalks garlic chives (Chinese chives or Nira), and 3 inches carrot into long, thin strips (2-inch julienned pieces). Wash 2.5 oz bean sprouts and drain well.

5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil and the ginger. Once fragrant, add the marinated shrimp, chicken, and pork and stir-fry until no longer pink.

6. Add the sliced bamboo shoot and carrot and stir-fry until coated with oil and slightly tender. Add the bean sprout, Tokyo negi, Chinese chives, and dried mushrooms and stir-fry. Then, add the noodles.

7. Next, add the ingredients for the seasonings: ¼ cup shiitake dashi, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.

8. Combine 2 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl to make a slurry.

9. After a quick stir, pour the slurry into the harumaki filling and mix well. Transfer the filling from the pan to a baking sheet or plate. Let it cool completely and evaporate the moisture. Make sure there is no moisture in the filling. Otherwise, the wrappers will break easily before and during deep-frying (and might explode in the oil).

10. Slowly peel each of the 10 egg roll (harumaki) wrappers, one at a time, and keep them under plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying while you work. Mix 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour) and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl to form a loose paste.

11. Lay one harumaki wrapper on your work surface with a corner pointed towards you in a diamond shape. Place one portion of filling neatly just below the center of the wrapper. I use an ice cream scoop so the filling amount is the same for each wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling and firmly tuck the filling under it.

12. Roll the wrapper once to cover the filling. Then, fold the right and left corners of the wrapper in toward the center, forming straight edges on either side. The two corners should overlap in the center a little bit. Continue rolling toward the top corner, making sure that both sides of the wrapper taper inward (and don‘t flair out) as you roll.

13. Dip your finger in the flour + water paste and place a good amount of it on the top corner. Then, roll and press firmly to seal. Continue rolling with the remaining wrappers.

14. Deep-fry (recommended): Fry the harumaki immediately after rolling and before the wrappers get soggy. To a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, add 3 cups neutral oil or enough for 1–1½ inches (2.5–3.8 cm) of oil. Heat to 340°F (170°C); I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check. When the oil is hot enough, deep-fry the rolls in batches until light golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Place on a wire rack or paper towel to drain the excess oil. Tip: When you deep-fry, do not crowd the pot because the oil temperature will drop quickly and cause the rolls to absorb oil. Your ingredients should take up no more than about half of the oil surface area at any one time. For more helpful hints, read my post How to Deep-Fry Food at Home.

15. Bake (optional): If you prefer to bake, preheat the oven to 400ºF (200°C). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Arrange the harumaki in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops of the rolls with neutral oil, then bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating after 6 minutes, until they‘re golden brown and crispy.

16. Make a dipping sauce with soy sauce, rice vinegar (unseasoned), and Japanese karashi hot mustard as you like and serve with the Harumaki. Enjoy!

17. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.