Imperial Rolls

Posted in Asian Recipes
Imperial Rolls
Imperial Rolls are crisp, savory Vietnamese-style fried rolls filled with pork, shrimp, glass noodles, mushrooms, and vegetables. Serve them with lettuce, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and nuoc cham so each roll can be wrapped, dipped, and eaten while still hot and crunchy.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 8 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • ½ cup shredded taro or sweet potato
  • ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • ½ cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
  • 1 ounce dried glass noodles, soaked, drained, and cut into short pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For Rolling and Frying:

  • 20-24 spring roll wrappers
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for sealing
  • Neutral oil, for frying

For Serving:

  • Butter lettuce or romaine
  • Fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil
  • Cucumber slices
  • Pickled carrots and daikon
  • Nuoc cham
  • Lime wedges, optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the pork, shrimp, carrot, taro or sweet potato, onion, wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, garlic, egg, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined and slightly sticky.

  2. Test the Seasoning: Cook a small spoonful of filling in a skillet or microwave until fully cooked. Taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce, salt, pepper, or sugar if needed.

  3. Roll the Imperial Rolls: Place one wrapper on a clean surface with a corner facing you. Add a few tablespoons of filling near the lower third, fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll tightly. Seal the edge with the cornstarch slurry. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

  4. Rest Before Frying: Place the rolls seam-side down on a tray and let them rest for 10-15 minutes while the oil heats. This helps the sealed edge set.

  5. Fry: Heat 2-3 inches of neutral oil to 350°F. Fry the rolls in batches for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

  6. Serve: Serve hot with lettuce, fresh herbs, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, nuoc cham, and lime wedges if using.

Crispy Vietnamese-Style Rolls

Imperial Rolls are all about contrast: a crisp wrapper, savory pork and shrimp filling, cool lettuce, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and nuoc cham. Roll them snugly but do not overfill them; too much filling can split the wrapper in the oil.

Air Fryer Method

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Arrange the rolls seam-side down with space between them, then brush or spray generously with neutral oil. Air fry for 10-14 minutes, turning halfway through and spraying again if any dry patches remain. Raise to 400°F for the last few minutes if they need more color.

Tips and Variations

  • Serve with lettuce leaves and herbs so each roll can be wrapped before dipping.
  • Use all pork for a simpler filling, or add crab for a more celebratory version.
  • Keep extra vegetables finely chopped and dry so the wrappers do not soften.
  • Roll a few hours ahead and refrigerate, or freeze uncooked rolls in a single layer and fry from frozen.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size: 3 rolls
  • Servings Per Recipe: 8
  • Calories: 430

% Daily Value

  • Total Fat: 24g (31% DV)
  • Saturated Fat: 5g (25% DV)
  • Cholesterol: 110mg (37% DV)
  • Sodium: 760mg (33% DV)
  • Total Carbohydrates: 34g (12% DV)
  • Dietary Fiber: 3g (11% DV)
  • Total Sugars: 4g
  • Protein: 20g
  • Vitamin A: 190mcg (21% DV)
  • Vitamin C: 12mg (13% DV)
  • Calcium: 70mg (5% DV)
  • iron: 3mg (17% DV)

Note: The “% Daily Value” (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients and preparation.