A few years ago, I discovered that rice paper—the kind used for Vietnamese fresh spring rolls—can also be pan-fried. It was a total game changer.

I had originally planned to make lor bak, a Malaysian Chinese street food made with five-spice–seasoned meat wrapped in bean curd sheets and deep-fried until crisp. But without any bean curd sheets on hand, I improvised with a pack of rice paper instead—and that’s how these pan-fried rolls came to be. Only later did I realize there’s a similar concept in Vietnamese cuisine: chả giò, or deep-fried rice paper spring rolls.

The filling I used for this recipe is the same one as in my Savoury Fried Pumpkin Mochi. It’s a simple yet flavourful mix made with pantry staples. Honestly, when something tastes so good, there’s no reason to mess with it! What I especially love about these rolls is that they’re pan-fried rather than deep-fried. It means less clean-up, and truthfully, I’ve never been a huge fan of deep-fried foods. As a bonus, using rice paper makes these a great gluten-free alternative to traditional spring rolls.

You’ll notice the recipe calls for wrapping the rolls twice—this is highly recommended. Rice paper is delicate, and with a generous amount of filling, the extra layer helps prevent tearing during frying.

Once cooked, the skin turns beautifully crisp on the outside while retaining a slightly chewy, almost mochi-like texture inside (another reason for double wrapping—more of that satisfying chew!). The result is irresistibly delicious spring rolls packed with umami—perfect as an appetizer, snack or even a light bite alongside a meal.

Did you make this recipe?

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FRIED PORK AND MUSHROOM RICE PAPER SPRING ROLLS

Makes 15 rolls

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
454g (1 lb.) ground pork (or your choice of meat)
7 shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water until soft, squeezed dry and diced
3/4 cup green peas
3-3/4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1-1/4 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1-3/4 tablespoons oyster sauce
2-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/3 teaspoon white pepper
5 teaspoons cornstarch (or tapioca starch) + 2 tablespoons water
30 sheets of rice paper (22cm/8.5-inch rounds)
Oil for frying

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook the onions for a minute, then add in the garlic. Fry until the onions are soft and fragrant.

2. Add the meat and mushrooms. Fry until the meat is cooked.

3. Add in green peas. Mix well.

4. Add light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil and pepper. Fry for a minute, mixing everything together. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

5. Combine corn starch with water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Drizzle over the mixture. Stir well and cook until the mixture starts to bubble.

6. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl. Set aside.

7. Fill a large bowl or deep tray with room temperature water. Soak 1 sheet of rice paper in the water for 5 seconds. Don’t worry if it’s not very pliable. When you place it on your work surface, it’ll continue to soften. 

8. Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto the rice paper. Gently roll it up, fold in the sides halfway, and then continue rolling it up.

9. For the second wrapping, repeat Step 7, then take the roll you’ve just made, place it on the wrapper, seam side down, and wrap it up again as in Step 8. Place the finished roll on a lightly oiled plate or tray. 

10. Repeat Steps 7 to 9 to finish making the rest of the rolls.

11. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a ceramic or non-stick frying pan over medium high heat (depending on the size and type of pan you’re using, you may need to adjust the amount of oil; you want to make sure that the rolls don’t stick to the pan). Place rolls in the pan, leaving enough room so they don’t touch each other. Fry about 5 minutes, continuously turning the rolls, until lightly browned on all sides.

12. Serve immediately. They’re great on their own, or enjoy them with your choice of dip or sauce.