Lumpia Goreng/Crispy Spring Rolls

This is another one of those Indonesian recipes that I learned from a friend in Jakarta and is a favorite with everyone in my family. It is meant to be a snack in Indonesia but my kids often make a whole meal out of these. They taste so good that it is difficult to resist them. I try to avoid fried foods, so this is an occasional treat for me.

Ingredients:

1.    One large boneless chicken breast
2.    2-3 medium sized carrots
3.    ¼ of a medium-sized head of cabbage
4.    One medium sized Jicama root
5.    3-4 cloves of garlic
6.    2 cubes of chicken bouillon cubes
7.    4-5 cups of Canola oil for deep frying
8.    One packet of egg roll wrappers (available in any supermarket or Asian stores)

Directions:

1.    Using a food processor, mince the chicken breast.
2.    Peel the garlic cloves and chop them in slices.
3.    Peel and grate the carrots with a grater.
4.    Peel and grate the Jicama root.
5.    Chop the ¼ cabbage into small pieces (like you would for cole slaw).
6.    In a medium sized pan, pour 2 tablespoons of oil and place over low heat.

7.    Add the sliced garlic cloves and then the minced chicken and cook them (stirring frequently).
8.    Try to avoid letting the chicken clump together and so you may need to stir frequently.
9.    When the chicken looks done (no pinkness inside) – which usually takes 5-7 minutes, crumble the two cubes of chicken bouillon and sprinkle them over the cooked minced chicken and stir thoroughly.

10.    Add the grated Jicama, carrots and cabbage to the pot and mix again and let them cook for another 5-7 minutes. This will make the stuffing for the egg rolls.
11.    Let the stuffing cool down a little and in the meantime in a medium sized sauce pan, heat 4 cups of Canola oil.
12.    While the oil is getting hot, start making the egg rolls by laying out a wanton/egg roll wrapper on a cutting board and placing about two tablespoons of stuffing in its center.  Tuck the stuffing in by folding over the two sides and the rolling the wrapper from the bottom (see pictures).

13.    Seal the end of each egg roll with a bit of cold water on the inside end of the wrapper.

14.    When the oil is hot, gently place the egg rolls in the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes. Make sure the egg rolls get cooked on high heat (or they absorb oil) and brown evenly on all sides.

15.    Place them over a dry paper towel and let some of the excess oil drain out.
16.    You may need to fry these in batches of 4-5 in the heated oil.
17.    Serve them while they are still hot and crispy with some jarred sweet and sour sauce or with a soy sauce dipping sauce (mix 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2-3 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2-3 tablespoons of sugar, two cloves of finely chopped garlic and one finely chopped green chili).