This delicate Chinese-style starter or snack looks exactly as it is described – a tiny gold bag. Blanched chives will also work as ties for the tops of the bags. If you like you can use half prawns and half chicken or pork for the filling.
Ingredients
- 280 g (10 oz) raw prawns (shrimp), peeled, deveined and roughly chopped, or boneless, skinless chicken or pork fillet, roughly chopped
- 225 g (8 oz) tin water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped
- 3 –4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 –3 bunches of spring onions (scallions), or 40 chives, for ties
- 2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
- 40 spring roll sheets, 13 cm (5 in) square
- peanut oil, for deep-frying
- a chilli sauce, to serve
How to Make It
- Using a food processor or blender, chop the prawns, chicken or pork to a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl and combine with the water chestnuts, garlic, spring onions, oyster sauce, white pepper and salt.
- To make spring onion ties, cut each into four to six strips, using only the longest green parts, then soak them in boiling water for 5 minutes, or until soft. Drain, then dry on paper towels.
- Mix the flour and 160 ml (6 fl oz) cold water in a small saucepan until smooth. Stir and cook over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, or until thick.
- Place three spring roll sheets in front of you and keep the remaining sheets in the plastic bag to prevent them drying out. Spoon 2 teaspoons of filling into the middle of each sheet. Brush around the filling with flour paste, then pull up into a bag and pinch together to enclose the filling. Place on a tray that is lightly dusted with plain (all-purpose) flour. Repeat until you have used all the filling and sheets. Tie a piece of spring onion twice around each bag and tie in a knot. Use chives if you prefer.
- Heat 7.5 cm (3 in) oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium heat. When the oil seems hot, drop a small piece of spring roll sheet into it. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. It is important not to have the oil too hot or the gold bags will cook too quickly and brown. Lower four bags into the oil and deep-fry for 2–3 minutes until they start to go hard. Lower another three or four bags into the oil and deep-fry them all together. To help cook the tops, splash the oil over the tops and deep-fry for 7–10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. As each batch is cooked, lift the bags out with a slotted spoon and add another batch. Drain on paper towels. Keep the gold bags warm while deep-frying the rest. Serve with a chilli sauce.
