Three-Shred Spring Rolls

These are classic, elegant Chinese spring rolls featuring a delicate “three shreds”  filling: shredded pork, shredded shiitake mushrooms, and shredded bamboo shoots (sometimes carrot or wood ear fungus is added as the third). 

The filling is light, savory, and slightly sweet, wrapped in thin wheat spring roll wrappers and deep-fried until golden and shatteringly crisp.

 They are a popular dim sum item, appetizer, or festival snack, especially during Chinese New Year or family gatherings.

Ingredients (makes about 20–25 spring rolls)Filling

• Lean pork (or chicken) — 150–200 g, cut into very thin matchsticks (julienne)
• Dried shiitake mushrooms — 8–10 medium (soaked, stems removed, thinly shredded)
• Bamboo shoots (canned or fresh) — 150–200 g, drained and thinly shredded
• Optional third “silk”: carrot — ½ medium, julienned (adds color and sweetness)
• Garlic — 2 cloves, minced
• Ginger — 1 tsp, minced
• Green onion — 2 stalks, white part minced, green part for garnish

Seasoning for filling

• Light soy sauce — 1 tbsp
• Oyster sauce — 1 tsp
• Shaoxing wine — 1 tbsp
• Sugar — ½–1 tsp
• Salt — ¼ tsp
• White pepper — pinch
• Sesame oil — 1 tsp
• Cornstarch — 1 tsp + 1 tbsp water (slurry, for binding)

Wrapping & frying

• Spring roll wrappers — 20–25 sheets (large size, ~20–22 cm square, thawed if frozen)
• Egg — 1, beaten (for sealing)
• Neutral oil — for deep-frying (about 1–1.5 liters)

Dipping sauce (optional)

• Light soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Black vinegar — 2 tbsp
• Chili oil — 1 tsp
• Minced garlic — ½ tsp

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the three shreds filling
   • Soak dried shiitake in warm water 30–60 minutes until soft. Squeeze dry, remove stems, and shred into thin strips.
   • Shred pork, bamboo shoots (and carrot if using) into very thin matchsticks (the finer, the better — “ means silk-like threads).
   • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
   • Add minced garlic, ginger, and white parts of green onion. Stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant.
   • Add shredded pork. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until color changes.
   • Add shredded shiitake + bamboo shoots (and carrot). Stir-fry another 2 minutes.
   • Season with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Stir well.
   • Push mixture to side, add cornstarch slurry to the center, stir until thickened and glossy (this binds the filling so it doesn’t leak when frying).
   • Turn off heat. Drizzle sesame oil, mix well, and let cool completely (very important — hot filling makes wrappers soggy and hard to seal).
2. Assemble the spring rolls
   • Keep wrappers covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
   • Place one wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond orientation.
   • Spoon about 1–1½ tbsp cooled filling near the bottom corner.
   • Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in the left and right corners toward the center.
   • Roll tightly upward, brushing the top corner with beaten egg to seal.
   • Repeat until all filling is used. Keep finished rolls covered.
3. Fry the spring rolls
   • Heat oil in a deep pot or wok to 170–180°C (340–355°F) — test by dropping a small piece of wrapper; it should sizzle and rise immediately.
   • Fry in batches (don’t overcrowd): add 4–6 rolls at a time.
   • Fry 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden-brown and crispy.
   • Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4. Serve
   • Serve hot immediately — the contrast of ultra-crisp wrapper and juicy filling is best right out of the fryer.
   • Accompany with dipping sauce: mix soy sauce + black vinegar + chili oil + garlic.
   • Optional: cut spring rolls in half diagonally for presentation.

Quick Tips for Success

• Filling must be cool → Hot filling steams the wrapper → soggy rolls and leakage.
• Tight rolling → Prevents oil from seeping in and filling from falling out.
• Oil temperature → Too low = greasy rolls; too high = burnt outside, raw inside. Maintain 170–180°C.
• Make-ahead → Assemble and freeze uncooked rolls on a tray, then transfer to bag. Fry from frozen — add 1–2 extra minutes.
• Variations →
  • Add shredded wood ear fungus or lily buds for traditional texture.
  • For vegetarian: replace pork with more mushrooms or tofu shreds.
  • For spicier: add chili flakes or chili oil to filling.
• Storage → Best eaten fresh. Reheat leftover cooked rolls in 180°C oven 5–8 minutes to crisp up.

These spring rolls are delicate, aromatic, and full of classic Chinese umami — a perfect appetizer or party finger food.