HK x Viet-style Rice Paper Spring Rolls

In a bowl soak dried wood ear mushrooms for 30 minutes until soft. Slice it afterwards. In another bowl soak rice vermicelli glass noodles for 15 minutes until soft. Cut them shorter into several portions.

In a frying pan heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat, pan-fry tofu until all sides are golden brown. Transfer them into a bowl and set aside. In the same pan add another 1/2 tablespoon oil, add carrots, wood ear mushrooms, cabbage and purple cabbage to fry until a bit brown and start to soften, then season them with sea salt. Transfer them into a bowl and set aside. Heat 1 more teaspoon oil and add shiitake mushrooms to sauté until fragrant, then add rice vermicelli/glass noodles and pour 1/2 cup water into the pan. Simmer for about a minute until the noodles have absorbed the water and become soft but still chewy.

Add tofu, carrots, black fungus, cabbage and purple cabbage back to the pan to roughly stir-fry them. Stir in tamari, season with ground white pepper and five spices powder. Taste and adjust the flavors if necessary. In a small bowl mix cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water together, then stir in for thickening and turn off the heat. Finally stir in sesame oil.

Prepare a dish/pan that can fit your rice paper and pour warm water into it. Dip each rice paper into warm water when you use it for about 15 to 20 seconds or time suggested on the packaging. The rice paper should become a bit soft but still elastic, then remove it from water and place it onto a non-stick working surface.

Place filling onto about 1 inch to 1.5 inch from the bottom of the rice paper. Fold the left and right edges of the paper in, then gently pull up the bottom of the paper to cover the filling. Use your finger to press the filling firmly and roll up to cover the filling. Keep rolling until the roll seals itself.

Prepare oil in a deep pot and fill it no more than half full, deep enough to cover the rice spring rolls. Heat the oil over medium-low heat until it reaches around 320°F (160°C). Make sure your rice spring rolls are dry to prevent violent oil splattering. Put 2 to 3 rolls into the oil at one time and be careful of sticking together. Fry for about 30 seconds until the down side of the rolls turns golden brown, then flip to another side to fry for around 20 seconds more, until golden brown. Drain the rolls on paper towels to absorb excess oil. You may also choose to pan-fry the rolls. Just heat a tablespoon oil in a pan and pan-fry them until golden brown.

In a saucepan add all dipping sauce ingredients. Heat over low heat and bring to a boil.