Duo of Pork and Mushrooms

Preparation time: ½ hr
Cooking time: ¾ hr
(Serves 2 for entree)

Ingredients

• 2 -3 Tblsp oil
• 225 g minced pork (or chicken)
• 1 Tblsp Chinese mushrooms (soak in water till soft, remove stem and chop finely)
• 1 Tblsp water chestnuts (from supermarket, in tins – finely chopped)
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Chinese rice wine – or dry sherry
• pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• ½ tsp fresh ginger – finely chopped
• 1 tsp  spring onions - finely chopped
• 1 Tblsp Sze Chuan preserved vegetables (optional and available from Asian food stores)
• 1 Tblsp oyster sauce
• A few drops sesame oil
• salt and pepper
• 4  15 cm spring roll wrappers
• additional oil for deep frying
• 2 crisp lettuce leaves to serve
• chilli sauce to serve

Method

Heat the oil in the wok till shimmering and brown mince.

Add mushrooms, water chestnuts, light soy sauce, wine, sugar, cornflour, salt and pepper and mix well.

Stir fry for a minute till all ingredients are heated right through.

Add ginger, spring onions and preserved vegetables (if you are using these) to the mixture and stir fry for a further minute.

Add oyster sauce and sesame oil, combine and stir fry for another minute.

Transfer half of the complete mixture to a serving platter and set aside till required.

Working quickly, spread the spring roll wrappers on a work surface and place ¼ of remaining cooked mince along the edge of each wrapper.

Roll the skins over once, fold in the sides and roll again to make a sausage shape. Brush the edges with a little water to seal.

Heat the additional oil for deep frying in a wok till very hot and reduce the flame till the flame is moderate.

Deep fry the spring rolls 2 – 3 minutes till golden brown.

Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on grease proof paper.

Now put the dish together:

Arrange lettuce leaves, bowl of cooked pork and mushroom mince, spring rolls and small dish of chilli sauce on a platter and let your guests help themselves.

Alternatively, arrange in a similar manner on individual platters.

John Hawkesby’s wine recommendation

Blended White
Artisan Kauri Ridge Flora 2009
Hans Herzog 2009