Fried Popiah (or Spring Rolls) are a fun light snack that’s so popular that every ethnic group in Malaysia – be it Chinese, Malay, or Indian has their own interpretation of spring rolls. Though there are many variations of the fried popiah (some using eggs for the filling thus earning the name of egg rolls) it is generally accepted that fried popiah is a mix of vegetables and meat wrapped in thin pastry sheets deep fried to a beautiful golden brown.

Sounds simple, but takes a particular set of skills to make, as wrapping it too tightly will result in a busted roll and wrapping it too loosely will cause it to unroll itself in the oil. But the best part about the snack is that one is never enough, so you’d be compelled to make them in bulk. And as they say, practice makes perfect, so you can perfect your rolling skills as you go.

Ingredients for preparing Fried Popiah / Spring Roll

1. 40-50 spring roll wrappers
2. 2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
3. 250g chicken (chopped finely)
4. 250g baby shrimps (chopped finely)
5. 5-6 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked and chopped finely)
6. 250g yam bean (sliced/grated)
7. 250g carrot (sliced/grated)
8. Cooking oil
9. Water
10. Salt & Pepper
11. Oyster sauce
12. Corn starch (mix with water) or 1 egg

How to cook Fried Popiah / Spring Roll

1. Heat up 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Stir-fry the garlic until aromatic but be careful not to burn the garlic. Add in chopped chicken, shrimp, and mushroom, to stir-fry until cooked.
2. Add in the grated yam bean (also locally known as mangkuang) and carrot. Keep stirring on medium heat before adding one cup of water. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are soft and tender. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Take stir fried filling of the popiah off the flame and set aside to cool and let the sauce (if any) absorb into the vegetables. If the filling is too wet, your popiah might have trouble staying crunchy after being fried.

Photo Credit: yummyaddiction.com

4. Place 2 spoonfuls of the fillings on a spring roll wrapper and fold in the two sides gently. Roll it upwards and dab the water and cornstarch mixture or egg wash at the edges of the spring roll to seal it up.TIP: When storing the spring rolls, make sure each individual rolls don’t touch or you’ll run the risk of your popiahs sticking together. For long term storing, you might want to place sheets of cling wrap over the popiah to store in the freezer.
5. Heat up about 2 cups of cooking oil to about 180 degrees celsius. (if you don’t have a cooking thermometer, stick a wooden chopstick into the wok or pan and if it bubbles, it’s hot enough.)

6. Deep fry the spring rolls until golden brown and crispy. Be sure not to fry too many spring rolls in the pan at once as it’ll be hard to keep an eye on and it won’t cook evenly.
7. Dish out the cooked spring rolls and drain with paper towels.
8. Serve hot with a side of your favourite sauce.