Spring Rolls

When warm weather brings a bounty of colorful vegetables to the market, it's time to learn how to make spring rolls, featuring the season's finest produce. From bright orange carrots to verdant green onions, spring rolls can offer such a gorgeous rainbow of colors they're almost too pretty to eat!

Contrary to popular belief, there isn't just one type of spring roll. Flip through a stack of Asian cookbooks and you'll find the term is wide reaching. In Vietnam, spring rolls often feature a translucent rice paper stuffed with pork, shrimp or tofu and various fresh herbs and vegetables; however a fried version featuring rice paper (referred to as an egg roll) is common as well. Taiwan also has fried and non-fried spring rolls, filled with meat and pre-cooked vegetables. China's spring rolls--commonly called egg rolls--are usually on the sweeter side.

When deep-frying spring rolls, be sure to use a neutral-tasting oil, such as peanut or canola; also be sure to keep a deep-fry thermometer on hand to regulate the temperature of the oil. For a healthier version, brush rolls lightly with oil or cooking spray and bake in the oven until golden-brown and crisp. No matter how you make them, don't forget a dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray

• 2  teaspoons  toasted sesame oil or canola oil

• 8  ounces  lean pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or ground pork

• 1/2  cup  chopped red sweet pepper

• 1  teaspoon  grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1  clove  garlic, minced

• 3/4  cup  finely chopped bok choy or Chinese (napa) cabbage

• 1/2  cup  chopped canned water chestnuts

• 1/2  cup  coarsely shredded carrot

• 1/4  cup  sliced green onions

• 1/4  cup  bottled light Asian sesame ginger vinaigrette

• 8  egg roll wrappers

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. For filling: In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork, sweet pepper, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until pork is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. If using ground pork, drain off fat. Add bok choy, water chestnuts, carrot, and green onions to pork mixture in skillet. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until any liquid evaporates. Stir in vinaigrette. Cool filling slightly.

2.  For each egg roll, place an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface with a corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling across and just below center of each egg roll wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling, tucking it under on the other side. Fold side corners over filling, forming an envelope shape. Roll egg roll toward remaining corner. Moisten top corner with water; press firmly to seal.

3.  Place egg rolls, seam sides down, on the prepared baking sheet. Coat the tops and sides of the egg rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until egg rolls are golden brown and crisp. Cool slightly before serving.